beauty and the geek
by lAnalAne17
Summary: Tamaki was flunking Calculus!His mom gives him a tutor he didn't want.His tutor Haruhi feels quite the same.As they spend time,Tamaki feels something weird for the geek.But then,his identical twin Naoki likes her too.Should he give her up or fight for it?
1. First Meeting

**Lanalane17**: hey guys, this is my first ever published story here in fanfic and it's all about Tamaki and Haruhi's chummy loveteam. . . . I've always wanted to make up some stories using my favorite characters and ola, i've finally done it. This story though is kind of different from the normal behaviour of Tamaki and Haruhi. it's sort of like i just used their names for my story. Well, just so you wouldn't be surprised, Haruhi is kind of like the sporty type while Tamaki is this cool and arrogant guy here.

Hope you enjoy reading it and hope you'll review!

* * *

1. First Sight

"No way mom! I am never gonna have a tutor!" Tamaki Suoh loudly revolted. He was in his room playing computer games when his mom suddenly

went in and told him about having a tutor.

His mom stood beside him and placed her hands on his shoulders. His gaze was still fixed on his character in the game.

"You don't have any choice dear. We had a deal that if your grades would not improve after your last grading period, I would have to get you a

tutor."

He unwillingly averted his gaze to his mom and tried to see if she really meant what she said and was depressed to see her sympathetic face. He

could see laugh lines in her mom's face which showed that she really had aged but it was still obvious that she was beautiful during her younger

years. He had always seen his mom like an angel but that time, he couldn't help himself to think that she was his Doom Queen. He turned back his

eyes to the computer and suddenly lacked the delight to continue playing. His mom continued to say more things about his having-a-tutor thing

but he didn't bother to listen at all. She must have sensed his inattentiveness because he heard her sigh then went out of the room.

He grunted and swore while shutting down his computer then threw himself into his bed. He couldn't blame his mom for doing such thing because

he absolutely knew that his grades in Calculus weren't doing well. But having a tutor! He detested such idea.

He suddenly felt a spasm of fear when he imagined how his friends would react to that. It would certainly ruin the image he had built for three

years in high school. His image of coolness and carefree figure shouldn't be shattered, it mustn't be shattered!

He had the legacy of being the sporty guy in school during their last promenade, was Mr. Popular, a certified heartthrob in there campus. It was so

off the hook if everyone would hear any thing of him having a tutor. He couldn't bear the shame it would bring him. He wouldn't allow it. She

couldn't make him. But then he realized how futile his revulsions were. He had to ask his mom again. He had to make sure that this wasn't his

doom. And with that, he unconsciously fell asleep.

* * *

"Hey, are you still going to play soccer today?" Tamaki suddenly heard his friend Kyouya asked him. He realized he was really rankled with what

his mom had told him that night.

He put up a grin and tried to clear his mind from the irritating thought. "This rain wouldn't stop me from playing."

"I thought so. I guess you don't want to let those girls down." Kyouya smirked looking at the group of girls who were obviously staring at their

direction then elbowed him. He just grinned out of something to say and didn't bother to look at the girls. He was still not in the mood to enjoy any

display of attraction from anyone. His friend excused himself which he thought was a good thing for him to be alone and stared dejectedly outside.

He was seated nearest to the window of their room so when he gets bored he could instantly turn his attention to the people in the campus park

or the "other" guys who know how to play soccer too as well as to show off.

He irritatingly remembered what her mom said that morning. "I've already gotten you one now so don't try to win over this matter anymore for

you'll only be wasting your time." Her mom was talking about the tutor she had gotten for him.

"Whatever mom," he muttered sourly under his breath. He suddenly felt two arms curled around his neck. He turned to confirm his hugger. It was

Kanoya, the most popular cheerleader in their campus. Her boobs were sort off flattened against his back and when he turned his head their faces

were only inches apart.

She was wearing her usual seductive smile revealing her straight rows of teeth. "Hey there handsome, did you miss me?"

Everybody in their campus thinks that they have a serious relationship going on, that she was his and vice versa. But it wasn't like that at all. The

two of them had no commitment to each other yet they still linger together for a reason. It was cool for their image. What would be a much more

perfect pair than a popular basketball team captain and a gorgeous cheerleader?

She moved and quickly sat on his lap with her arms still around his neck. The other guys in there couldn't help but feel jealous looking at their very

intimate position.

"You gonna play this afternoon, huh? I'll be there to cheer for you." He noticed her stealing a glance at the people in there, maybe checking if they

are still watching.

He tried to hide his amusement by smiling sweetly. "I'll expect that." He couldn't help overhearing the other girls' giggles in there. And they

successfully tricked their classmates with their public display of affection.

After class, Tamaki was met by an unwelcome order from his mom. To go home directly. Which only meant missing his soccer game that afternoon.

He reluctantly drove his Mercedes Benz and maneuvered his way to their house. Not knowing who was waiting there for him.

* * *

Haruhi Fujioka wasn't expecting any arrangements that afternoon and was clearly surprised when her teacher asked her to see the school's

superintendent. She had met her once when all the top rankers in their school were given the chance to have a scholarship. It was one of her

luckiest day. She received full scholarship and an allowance every month which greatly helps her in her schooling.

She was alone. Her parents had died from a car accident and it happened when she was in her second year in high school. She knew that what

happened had to give her strength to continue moving on. And she had a great job of moving on as she continued to do well in her studies and

was even one of the running graduating valedictorian in their school.

She was quite disconcerted to know that she was going with the Superintendent to their house. And there she was already, seated uncomfortably

in the overly spacious and elegant living room of Mrs. Suoh, the superintendent. She almost hung up in a daze seeing how beautiful and inviting

the woman's two-storey house was. She was still admiring the flat Plasma television there showing a clip from the Discovery Channel about tribal

women when Mrs. Suoh spoke and told her the reason on why she had to really go with her in her mansion.

Mrs. Suoh patiently waited for her reply. All she managed to do was to stare at Mrs. Suoh in great disbelief.

"So, would you accept my offer, Ms. Fujioka?" She wasn't used to be called by her last name but she didn't notice it.

"Tutoring your son, Ma'am?" she couldn't help hide her displeasure while confirming if she really heard it right. Mrs. Suoh nodded and seemed to

have missed the disapproval in her tone.

She almost blurted out that it was absolutely impossible. The idea was ridiculous and she was lucky to still manage to keep a steady expression

under Mrs. Suoh gaze.

"Tamaki Suoh?" Haruhi repeated the name and ceased herself from rolling her eyes.

The woman nodded and smiled a hesitant smile. She quickly thought that maybe the woman knew her son's behavior in school. Then knew she

was right for why would Mrs. Suoh hire a tutor for him if she didn't know that his son was the popular sleaze in school and only excel in extra

curricular activities leaving his academics way, way far behind.

"I really don't ———" she was suddenly interrupted when someone came in speaking.

"Mom, what is this urgent thing that you want to talk with me?"

They both looked at Tamaki Suoh who looked surprised seeing her presence in their house. Mrs. Suoh instantly stood up, beaming at her son.

"Tamaki, I'd like you to meet your tutor, Ms. Fujioka."

He looked at her for a fraction of second then yelled, "Her?!" He looked at his mom like she was halfway close to insanity. He then looked at her

again and she met her gaze with the same disgust that he had just relentlessly expressed. _How rude_, she thought.

"Tamaki! Where are your manners?" His mom bellowed at him, eyeing him sharply. He avoided her gaze and rolled his eyes.

Mrs. Suoh excused herself with her son for a while, maybe to successfully convince his son to have her as his tutor. Haruhi couldn't hope but to let

his stubbornness win over his mom. She couldn't imagine herself tutoring such a mean and arrogant clod. She knew him. Guys like him weren't

new to him. She knew them too well.

The two went back and both had interesting expressions printed on their faces. One bore an apprehensive expression while the other was an

annoyed one. She knew that Mrs. Suoh could not win over his son over that matter, what with his irritated response when he arrived. It was clear

how he detested such idea which goes mutually to her. She could not wait to get out of that house, away from him. But to her absolute dismay,

Mrs. Suoh started to speak saying, "Is it okay if the tutorial would start this coming Saturday, Haruhi?"

Her heart missed a beat and she could only stare at the lady before realizing what she was doing and managed to nod out of nothing to say. And

that was the start of her undeniable acquaintance with her ostracized tutee.

-end-


	2. Chapter 2

**l****analane17:** Hey guys. . still don't know how to title this one out. . .hope you liked the first chap. . .enjoy and hope you'll review!

* * *

It was already four days after Haruhi's unpleasant first meeting with her tutee and it still would not sink in her mind on why she was standing right

that moment, ringing the doorbell of the visibly wide gate of the Suoh. It was Saturday, the day she dreaded to come. She wanted it all to be just

a nightmare but no matter how many times she slapped her face, it was still a tear-jerking reality.

One of the maids let her in and instantly led her to the living room. Even if she had already gazed at that part of the house, she still could not help

but admire all its interiors. It was like what she sees always in the Clean House episodes where in the houses always end up being absolutely

fabulous.

"Hey, you done daydreaming, huh?" she suddenly heard someone spoke, cutting her from her, well, daydreaming. She looked at him and could not

cease to expose her irritation towards him. Tamaki Suoh. Mr. Popular of Ouran Academy. Never failing to show PDA with his cheerleader girlfriend,

Kanoya to the entire campus. Never failing to show his arrogance in his strides and acts. And what was worst, majority of the girls think he is cool

and doesn't he know it.

He looked at her with that mocking expression. "So you really think this would work, huh?"

"I was expecting you last time to spare us the trouble to be acquainted with one another when we apparently detest such idea. But you seemed

to have gone sissy under your mom's gaze," she murmured in her driest tone.

He frowned but then grimaced. "You shouldn't have said that. With your remark, I would absolutely try to make your time with me as unbearable

as it can get. I'll bet you won't last a day."

She didn't even dare to doubt his threatening remark. She knew he meant it. She smiled mockingly and looked at him with distaste. "We'll see."

"So, you two, getting along well now?" Mrs. Suoh suddenly popped out of nowhere and Tamaki quickly sat down beside Haruhi with a frown.

Haruhi tried her best not to grin with the sudden disappearance of his domineering attitude just with the sight of his mom. She once again saw his

sissy side.

"I couldn't ask for a much better tutor," he suddenly murmured and obviously forced a smile, maybe wanting to convince his mom.

"We haven't even started yet," she quickly retorted to ruin his act.

But Mrs. Suoh just smiled at them and quickly excused herself. Once his mom was out of sight, he quickly placed an overly wide gap from her like

she had this really contagious disease he was scared of.

"You embarrass me again and," he broke off with a hint of admonition, glaring at her.

She just grinned, not at all intimidated. "You're the worst actor I've ever seen." And she was really saying the truth. She's seen better fronts from

other people far more believable than his.

"Did I ask for your opinion?"

"Thought you ought to hear that."

He rolled his eyes and suddenly felt that it was going way out of the plan. He was supposed to be the teaser there, the one making the other's

stay miserable. Right that moment, it was obviously his temper flaring on its way up and she seemed to be enjoying seeing him irritated.

"Go on, grin this time and you'll see," he sourly thought. He then noticed her rummaging something in her bag and landed with a thick book that

had frequently haunted his school years. Calculus.

"We're gonna start in Chapter 3," she spoke, now with a serious tone. "I've already asked Mdm. Unohana," she added maybe explaining how she

knew which part to start. He didn't even know what chapter they were already in their Calculus class. He could only groan and grabbed the remote

control. He had no intention of ever wasting his Saturday with her and her stultifying lecture.

Hours had passed and she continued to teach him though it was undeniably lucid that he wasn't paying attention. It was about five hours later

when she ended up blabbing to herself and decided to give up. He won and a smirk hovered on his lips. "Giving up already? How disappointing."

She welcomed his remark with a cold look and he was absolutely caught off guard with her response.

"Prepare for a test next meeting. If you fail that test, you better explain yourself to your mom. Moron," she spoke with visible annoyance then

quickly left the place.

He was left there dumbfounded. Did she just call him moron? He could only curse her as he maneuvered his way to his room. There was no place

existing in this world where he would let himself be called a moron especially coming from an insignificant boring geek like her.

-end-


	3. Ms Popular

3. Ms. Popular

"So, how did it go Haruhi?"

Haruhi looked at Hinata, one of her "nerd" friends, who was so interested with her first tutorial with Tamaki Suoh. She was the only person whom

she told about the tutorial lessons. She couldn't quite imagine having the whole girls go wild knowing she was spending time with their personal

Jesus. They were on their way to their Biology Class and they were asked to go to the Biology Laboratory to perform an experiment. Hinata's eyes

seemed to be sparkling with excitement and she couldn't believe it. She could not believe how almost every girl in their campus wanted to spend a

moment with that dumb-ass jerk. It was absolutely unthinkable. Well, maybe she was over-reacting but it was still explicitly stupid to idolize such

"creature".

"It was as what I expected it to be. Inexorably horrible. " she whispered since there were still students in front of them. She suddenly heard

someone laughing behind them. She turned to look and saw that it was Naruto, one of her friends who quickly ceased grinning when she looked.

She turned her gaze to Hinata again and was clearly amused with the big disappointment plastered on her face.

"What went wrong?"

"I told you. He's dumb. He couldn't assimilate Calculus," she spoke in such a problematic tone to make it more dramatic and pathetic. She knew

she had exaggerated but she didn't care. She stopped herself from grinning.

"Maybe, he just needs more time."

She shook her head and wore a piteous expression. "He's hopeless. I've seen chimpanzees with IQ's far much higher than what he has." Hinata

looked at her with a disbelieving expression and was almost teary-eyed.

"Oh c'mon Hinata. Some people just don't have all the luck. Nobody's perfect, okay?" again with her overly dramatic tone. She was actually

enjoying criticizing him intensely and didn't care if what she was doing was clearly lying and backbiting. She couldn't care less.

As for Tamaki, he was frequently irritated whenever he remembers her calling him a moron. His tense mood wasn't indispensable to his friends'

attention.

"Hey, chill dude. You look really rigid, you know. You actually got me thinking that you had Kanoya pregnant with that look," his friend Kyouya

teased and was grinning along with his other friends who were also wearing wide grins on their faces. They were situated at the soccer field since

their teacher for that period was absent and though their classroom president ordered nobody to leave the room, well, he couldn't stop them,

could they? He could have told him he hadn't even gotten to second base with his girlfriend and not because she wouldn't, but because he would

not. But that would be very sissy thinking that he had to look cool and to portray an image of a jock who should probably know more about

intimacy than other guys.

He closed his eyes and groaned. "That nerd's not even worth thinking about," he thought irritatingly and tried to regain his cool mood. He was

again acting normal trying to block his mind from his irritating experience. It was then that one of them spoke. Hikaru. "There they come."

He turned to look at what Hikaru meant and saw a group of intelligent looking weirdos walking probably towards the Bio Lab. He was gonna crack

some joke with the sight but stopped when he heard Kyouya muttered.

"She's usually behind the group."

"You noticed that, too?" said another one.

"Hey, who are you talking about?" he asked, clearly unaware of who was getting all of his friends attention in that weirdo group.

"There she comes, Tamaki," Kyouya replied, gaze still fixed on the group.

He turned to look again at the "nerdy" group to find out who really Kyouya was talking about. What he first saw was a girl wearing thick

eyeglasses, who instantly reminded him of Ugly Betty with those glasses then concluding that she definitely wasn't his friends' type he quickly

shifted his gaze to the other girl beside it. The other girl was very fair and had white pupils and the other one was also fair and had a brown hair

that was pinned in a carefree ponytail. It shone as the sun gently reflects its shine on it. She seemed totally immersed in a joyful conversation with

the white-eyed girl.

"See her now?" he was suddenly distracted hearing Kyouya's voice. He looked at him, a clear disbelief printed across his face.

"You're talking about that girl in a ponytail?!" he wasn't able to suppress his voice which caught all of his friends' attention. They moved around

him and eyed him curiously. His tone must have deceived him clearly giving the others the idea that he knew her.

"You know her, dude?" Kyouya asked, grinning. "I mean, in a more personal way?"

His thoughts were full of curses with his carelessness. He had just made a blunt which might give his friends an idea that he was really acquainted

with her.

"What do you mean, know her?" he tried his best to sound really convincing. "I don't know that girl that's why I'm asking you if you're really talking

about her. I mean, I don't really think she's popular, you know."

There. He had quickly made an alibi which he hoped and he thought had convinced his friends. He suddenly remembered the geek's comment that

he was the worst actor she'd ever seen. He almost frowned but caught himself in time.

He noticed Kyouya grinning along with the other guys. _What was so funny?_

"Well Tamaki, I don't really think that we could agree with what you said. Especially with her being unknown."

He looked at them, still bewildered. _What are these idiots saying?_, he thought sourly. When did she ever become popular? Maybe it had happened

but he was certain not in his lifetime. Nerds never dominate cheerleaders in popularity. They are seldom or probably never even invited to dances

or parties every weekend and that girl unfortunately belonged to that group of people.

The guys seeing his still confused expression looked amused which irritated him more.

"You see, Haruhi Fujioka is not just your ordinary girl, Tamaki. She's known to be a running valedictorian candidate in this school year——".

"—— so now you like nerdy type? Her nerdiness made her popular to you? " his voice rose in irritation. He wasn't even sure if there was a

"nerdiness" word but that was least of his thoughts that moment.

"Not just that, okay. Just in case you didn't hear, she's the team captain in the women's soccer team, dude. And she had made 3 goals during the

last competition against the other university which made our school the champion."

That he honestly didn't know. That slender, intimidating (though he hated to admit that she intimidates him) geek, the team captain of the

women's soccer team? And worse, making 3 goals during the last competition against other university? Absolutely unthinkable. She didn't even

look like the sporty type.

He showed deliberate frustration instead of amazement which his friends found amusing.

"Hey, you cool dude?" Kyouya suddenly elbowed him which brought him back to reality. He quickly smoothen his expression to subdue his friends'

confusions.

"I've got more to tell to you dude."

"More?" and he doubted whether he would like to hear anything more about her. How come he had no idea with all the things that he was

hearing right that moment? Where on earth had he been to be absolutely outdated with all the rumors that have spread in their campus?

"That girl you're calling 'nerd' just currently busted 5 guys here in our campus," and noticing that he was about to butt in, Kyouya continued. "And

3 of those guys are members of the soccer team."

"She said that?" he asked, still not believing it. There was nowhere in the current world he was in that she was popular, not even remarkable.

"No, she doesn't say anything about it at all but——"

"——then maybe it's not true at all," he coolly said it like he was stating a fact that was so redoubtable.

They just grinned at him then his other friend, Kaoru spoke.

"You could say that, but though those things didn't come from her, those broken-hearted guys can't be lying, right?"

He looked at Kaoru then saw the nodding approval of his friends.

"Those guys confessed that they were dumped? That's just so unlikely."

"Of course they didn't spread it to the girls to save their faces," Kyouya added with a wide grin.

He still couldn't digest everything he just heard. Not that he was so dumb to not comprehend it but because he didn't want to believe it. He looked

back at her direction before but the group already went inside the Bio Lab. They were still visible from there though and he saw her still with her

friends. He frowned and thought that maybe his friends were really just joking at him.

"Why didn't I know all of these?" his tone had a bit of accusation in it. As if it was their fault that he was ignorant with the nerd's dominating

popularity.

Kyouya grinned. "You seem to be so immersed in having Kanoya as the only popular girl here that you didn't realize that some girls here have also

become remarkable."

"You mean, Kanoya's not Ms. Popular now?" this somehow alarmed him. Weren't they supposed to be the couple-made-in-heaven pair? Mr.

Popular finding Ms. Right in the body of Ms. Popular, Kanoya?

"Of course not. She's still Ms. Popular and still the sexiest cheerleader here in the campus but now, we can't say that she's the only noticeable girl who makes guys feel lucky in having her as a girlfriend."

He remained silent, confused if he should treat this as a problem or just forget it. But he was still certain that Kanoya's popularity was still on top.

She was still Ms. Popular.

Kyouya suddenly whispered to him. "With this, whenever Kanoya runs out of popularity, there's always Ms. Pretty Geek waiting for you."

He wasn't surprised with what he said. Kyouya knew his and Kanoya's set-up. _Waiting for me_? _Waiting to wring my neck_, maybe, he thought sourly

though he managed to give Kyouya a grin to deceive him.

"You're the trouble even good girls can't resist." Kyouya teased and he just grinned though he doubted if what Kyouya said was really true,

knowing that the geek seemed to continually resist him. _Probably other good girls, but absolutely not her_.

-end-


	4. First Meeting second time around

4.) First Meeting (second time around)

Saturday morning. Another time for a tedious lecture from his unwanted tutor. She came as always on time and didn't waste any breath to greet

him which made him irritated considering that he was used to be welcomed by other girls with their overly-wide sweet smiles and all he got from

her was an arched eyebrows.

Comfortably seated in the living room, he was still figuring out what words could perfectly define her. Grouchy wasn't bad, he thought then

grinned.

"Did you care to read you Calculus book?" the voice was colder than ice. He felt a strange feeling when he heard her. He didn't bother to look at

her or maybe, he just couldn't look at her. Was it intimidation? Did he suddenly felt intimidated by her? He ignored such thought.

"We'll see after the test," he said coolly.

Haruhi almost stood up to wring his neck with his unbending arrogance. _We'll see, idiot_, she thought bitterly. She still could not comprehend why

girls fall head over heels for him.

She silently got her answer key from her bag which she wrote in her red notebook with Superman in the cover. She almost grinned knowing the

shameful score he would have after his test.

She glanced at him and saw him still comfortably placed there.

"What are you waiting for? I'm not gonna provide for your answer sheet," she said sternly. Irritation flooded her voice.

He looked at her, also irritated then quickly looked away. "Okay,okay. I'll get it in my room." Then he motioned up the stairs.

She waited there as patiently as she could manage but ended profusely annoyed when after almost ten minutes, still no idiot appeared going

downstairs. She had finished eating the cake that one of the maids there offered to her when she finally decided to look for the 'monkey'. She

asked one of the maids who she guessed was just two years older than her if she saw it. The monkey.

The maid whose name was Megumi guided her and was very friendly that she suddenly forgot how close she was to wringing his neck in her

irritation. That creature sure had no sense of respect or whatever. The thought of continuing their regressing treatment until that dumb-ass learns

rankled her inside.

She suddenly noticed the young maid pointing at something up the second floor and realized that it was him she was pointing at. Instinctively, she

yelled, "Hey!" but he seemed to not hear her and continued to run towards a certain room then went inside it. She quickly hastened her pace

since she was still halfway up the stairs and motioned towards the door where he entered. She barely noticed the young maid's amusement with

their scene.

She was about to knock when she heard voices coming from inside the room. She pressed her left ear to recognize the voices.

"What are you doing? That is just stupid." She quickly recognized the voice. The moron's voice.

"It's just gonna be a short while for you. C'mon dude. Do it. I'll bet it would be no sweat for you. Just a little Calculus, you know." Still the moron's

voice. She found it confusing that he was conversing with himself. Freak, she thought and grinned. Or maybe, he was talking to someone on the

phone.

She decided to knock. Nobody answered. She knocked again, twice and this time, much louder than the first one. The moron sure got a problem

with his earwax if he still could not hear that.

"Hey, are you gonna take the test or what?" she yelled. She pressed her ear again and waited for his reply.

"Come in," she heard him say and she traced some amusement in his tone.

"Don't come in!" it was still his voice, though. This jerk was surely playing tricks on her.

Now, she was totally concluding that the guy was not just a moron, but he also suffers mental impairment, talking to himself like that. Irritation

filled her and she went inside the room yelling, "Hey, toerag! I don't wanna waste my time —" and was flabbergasted with what he saw.

He was wearing nothing on top, and with only a blue towel covering what must supposedly be decently unseen. She found it weird that he wore

the same shocked expression as she was, seeing that this must be his way of irritating her.

She quickly averted her gaze to anything else in the room. "What do you think are you doing?! You're supposed to take your test, not to take a

bath!"

It was absolutely stupid thinking that she was like talking to the wall where her gaze was at.

She waited for him to reply and all she heard was a muffled laugh coming from behind the door. She glanced at him first, making sure he wasn't

the one laughing before looking at the back of the door.

And to her utmost horror, she was looking at the doppelganger of the moron with only the towel on him hiding behind the door. He was wearing

that very wide grin which broke out into laughter after seeing her expression. Maybe it was really funny. Her expression, that is. Lucky she didn't

manage to shout. It would have been more amusing to him.

She averted her gaze from the moron with only the towel on to the moron with an irritatingly mocking grin. They were twins, she could tell that.

Perfectly identical twins.

Out of nothing to say, and feeling like it was time to walk out there to maybe, cease the amusement she was bringing to that guy behind the door

and to somehow give that other guy some privacy to put some clothes on, she exited the room as fast as she can.

She didn't know how red her face had gone only having the idea when the young maid saw her and abruptly asked if she was okay. Maybe she

was as scarlet red as that girl she saw in Discovery Channel who had eaten something she was allergic to and ended up looking like Pacman in

video games.

She didn't really care though, how she looked like. Her brain cells were only working on one thing. Cursing Tamaki Suoh in her mind!

-end-


	5. He said, she said

5.) He said, she said

"Did you see her face? She looked like she'd seen a ghost!" Tamaki blurted out then laughed again as hard as he can.

His twin, Naoki, finally with clothes on now, looked at him, shook his head then grinned. "You're crazy."

"That must be her first close-up view of a guy with only a towel on him." His laughter was unremitting. It wasn't how he planned it to happen but

then, after everything, it was still spectacular. He was just gonna ask Naoki to take the test for him and deceive her, not even imagining the scene

that she was gonna see Naoki half-naked inside his room.

"You should apologize to her."

He looked at Naoki with absolute disbelief. "No way would I ever do that." Then he added, "Don't you think I've given her a favor of seeing you in

your most vulnerable situation. I mean, only a few girls would see you without your upper on." Though he knew that no girl had ever seen his twin

with no shirt on. Naoki wasn't like him who's used to getting his shirt off and throwing it in midair in every victory in soccer tournaments.

Naoki shook his head. "I think you're in big trouble if mom knows about this."

"Well I don't care. Maybe then, she'll realize, that nerd's not the right tutor for me." But he really did care. His mom had threatened him of quitting

his soccer team if he didn't succeed with the tutor thing so he has more time to study. That would absolutely be freaky.

"Well, if you don't want to apologize to her. . . I can . . . do it for you." He heard Naoki said. And he saw something weird in his twin. It can't be. . .

"Don't tell me you like her?" he asked, disbelieving such thought.

Naoki laughed. He just laughed which made him more irritated. It just meant Naoki really found her interesting just like his other friends. _Well, then _

_go, waste your time for that geek_, he thought bitterly.

"Whatever happened to the world," he murmured then motioned to go out of the room.

"Hey, where are you going?" Naoki asked.

"Back to see your new apple of the eye," then he closed the door and heard Naoki's laughter from the room. He shook his head. _What was wrong _

_with them?_ That nerd didn't even have one-fourth of Kanoya's beauty. Maybe he was exaggerating but he didn't care if she was really beautiful or

what. He just didn't like her indifference towards him.

He went downstairs to get a better look of the nerd's face. He couldn't help grinning as he maneuvered his way to their living room. He saw their youngest maid Megumi cleaning their living room table.

"So the nerd couldn't take it, huh?" he thought, undeniably amused. He went to sit there when he noticed something on top of the table. It was a

note written on a tiny red paper.

_Please study for the test that I'll be giving you next time. I care for your grade and for you, too._

_-Haruhi_

All he managed to do was to stare at the note. Are his eyes deceiving him? Surely the note must not have come from the hot-tempered, I-love-

Calculus-I-hate-Tamaki-Suoh nerd that she was. Care for his grades? It was more believable is she had left a note with a "You'll be dead" written

on it just like the red tag that's given in a popular manga he had read (Hana Yori Dango). But "I care for you, too"? Highly impossible.

He put the note in his pocket, still swallowing the absurdity of what's written on it. Then, a grin spread wide across his face. It wasn't absurd after

all. His Einstein brain quickly worked and now he understood it. He knew it even before. How could he ignore such idea? The nerd had put up a

good show but now, he knew she's raised the white flag already.

The nerd was into him even from the very start. She acted like she'd rather choose a chimpanzee over him, no doubt, to catch his attention! Hah!

He knew it! He was really the trouble even that nerd couldn't resist.

* * *

Haruhi quickly left the Suoh's house like it was a haunted house full of scary monsters. But then, it really had a monster inside of it. A devil

personified perfectly portrayed by that jerk. He was a moron, a jerk, a dumb-ass! Everything she detested, name it all and he wouldn't fail to

possess it.

She doubted he would ever want to be tutored again by her after the note she left there. His big ego won't like reading something like "_You're a _

_jerk with an underdeveloped brain fit for a dumb-ass like you! I don't care about your grades and I'm so not sorry to say that you're intelligence if you _

_even got one would never improve no matter how many tutorials you undergo! Don't study, like I care!_"

She instantly plumped herself on her bed when she reached the campus dormitory. It was part of the scholarship. The dorm, that is. Her friend

Hinata also lives in the dorm and was her roommate. There university is a well-known school for rich students and for brilliant students, too.

Her parents' house had been empty of human touch for years and she only goes there whenever holidays or semestral breaks occur. She was

snapped back from her nostalgia when Hinata bust open the door.

"Hey Haruhi! So? What happened now?"

"Happened? About?" she knew Hinata was talking about the tutorial because her friend had one of those "Tamaki-Suoh-is-gorgeous" disease.

Though sometimes, she got the feeling that Hinata's real crush wasn't that jerk but was really Naruto but whatever, because right that moment,

one of the symptoms of that disease was printed on her friend's face. Sparkling eyes, excited with news about the jerk. Hinata even told her it

was contagious. Lucky, she was immune.

Hinata smiled sweetly and sat at her bed which was on the left side of Haruhi's bed.

She sighed. "I am not gonna tutor him anymore." _I think so and I hope so_.

She saw Hinata's lips form a big O with eyes wide with pure disappointment.

"Why? Did you quit? What? What happened?"

She thought first before replying. "We just . . . hate each other." Hinata's face showed disbelief.

"Surely, you just need some time to get to know each other," Hinata said matter-of-factly. Though her voice was gentle, she heard certainty in Hinata's voice.

She shook her head. Hinata had told her once that she and that jerk looked good together when she told her about the tutorial thing. She almost

got upset with her friend for pairing her with that idiot but she knew that Hinata just thought that way because she didn't like Kanoya, the

popular, foxy cheerleader in their campus for the moron. Kanoya seemed to discriminate all girls but those in her cheerleader team. Especially

paying attention to geeks like her, Kanoya had the hobby of gossiping about nerds' outfits. How they were old-fashioned or how longer they were

compared to the skimpy clothes they wear as they raise their pompoms on the air.

She suddenly remembered something. "I didn't hear that that jer—er, guy had a twin. Did you know about this?"

Hinata nodded with an enchanted smile. "Everybody knows."

_Am I not included with that everybody_?, she thought. "He studies in Shinwa High School just close in here," Hinata continued.

She frowned. "Why did they have different schools?"

It was her friend's turn to frown. "Dunno."

"Maybe his twin is intelligent and he didn't want to greatly expose the other one's stupidity so he went to a different school," she theorized with a

grin. Hinata met her guess with a disapproving look, clearly not liking the part about her idol's stupidity.

"I don't agree with that Haruhi but you were right that his twin, Naoki Suoh is a brilliant student in his school."

"I knew it," she blurted out clasping her hands together.

"That doesn't mean that Tamaki-sama is stupid," Hinata clarified in a soft tone.

She grinned. "Maybe."

-end-

* * *

**lanalane17:** i don't know if the title fits this particular scene but i just find this title so cute so i used it. . .hahah. . .


	6. Attraction and Repulsion

6.) Attraction and Repulsion

After the day he read the nerd's note, Tamaki couldn't wait to anticipate embarrassing her in front of him by telling him he knew how she felt for him. His excitement couldn't be hidden from his friends and his girlfriend.

"What are you so delighted about?" Kanoya asked him one time when she caught him grinning alone like enjoying some internal joke. Their other classmates were busy doing their things while their teacher discussed his lesson about magnets in front of them.

He looked at her face and saw clearly how thick the make-up she had applied on it. "Nah. Just remembered something amusing."

She looked at him earnestly and he almost thought he saw admiration sparkling in her eyes, then ignored such thought. She smiled though he didn't know why. "Tamaki, this coming School Dance—," she started but wasn't able to finish when he heard someone call his name. Their professor.

"Suoh. Give me one difference of a magnet and gravity."

It wasn't a hard question. Science was easy for him. "Magnets attract and repulse, while gravity, only attracts."

Then, he smirked as an idea struck him.

"Magnets attract and repulse while gravity only attracts, Sir." Haruhi answered the last question of their professor before they were dismissed. It was Friday and no tons of homework awaited her so she could just fully sleep her head off as long as she wanted. Hinata had to do something for the Science Club with Naruto so she walked alone towards the dormitory.

There were still many students around the campus which was unsurprising because it was Friday. She could see cheerleaders being thrown like ragged dolls into the air and soccer players in the soccer field, some showing off, some really practicing.

She realized that she missed the feel of kicking a soccer ball. She had been occupied the past few weeks with her research project, the Math Club and her dumb tutee that she didn't have time to practice soccer. She watched with jealousy at the soccer players when a familiar voice called her.

She turned and saw Naruto running towards her. He was smiling sweetly at her.

"Hey Naruto. What's up? You done with Hinata for the Science Club?"

She noticed that though he was smiling, he actually looked nervous. "Uhm. Not yet. .I just wanted to ask you about the School Da—" he broke off when they heard approaching steps.

The sound came from their left side and they looked towards there simultaneously. A face she didn't expect popped out of nowhere. The devil personified with his wide grin.

Surely, she was just imagining that he was walking towards them. But he really was walking towards them. He was kind of sweaty, with his soccer shirt sticking on his chest with sweat. His grin not leaving his face.

Before he could reach them, she quickly spoke to Naruto. "I'm really sorry Naruto but I'm in a hurry. Could we talk this next time?"

But to his disappointment, the moron was already 3 steps away from them, looking from her to Naruto then to her again. He settled his gaze at her.

"Escaping, huh?" his tone was amused. She was having second thoughts of answering him and she decided to ignore him.

"I really have to go Naruto," she murmured as she took one step backward.

"Don't think I didn't understand your note 'cause I did," he said still with a toothy grin. She scrutinized him to see what he was up to. She wanted so badly to leave already but she had the urge to know why he was suddenly approaching her with his arrogant stance and not with an irritated face. If he had really read the note, his ego should be exploding with extreme curses flying at her that moment, but a toothy grin? Unexpected. Puzzling.

With hands on his hips, he shook his head, suppressing his laughter. _This guy must be really crazy_, she thought.

"What?" she spoke trying hard not to expose the irritation she felt since Naruto was still there. The last thing she wanted was for the other students to know she was spending some time with the moron.

"Attraction," he started, pointing a finger at her, "Repulsion," he added now pointing a finger at his chest.

She remembered, it was their topic in Physics just a while ago. _Freak_, she thought. Bringing up topics like that like he was paying attention to their teacher.

"You might want to make yourself clearer here or we might think you're screwed up right here," she said pointing her head.

Tamaki was honestly surprised with the nerd's behavior towards him. It was over. It was even her who busted herself with her note but why is she putting up a fight now? _Maybe she's just shy because someone else is here_, he satisfied his irritation with that thought.

"Stop beating behind the bush, okay? You're attracted to me while I, I repulse you."

Upon hearing this, Haruhi's eyes widened. She suddenly felt extremely nauseated that she even felt some of the Cheetos she had eaten during their afternoon break were forcing their way up to her throat. He was such an arrogant freak! What person could absolutely conclude from that note any sort of affection? Clearly, a very dumb one. And someone who had some screws loose. There was one right that moment, standing in front of her.

She noticed Naruto shot the dumbest guy she had ever known a disgusted look. She couldn't blame him.

"If you feel repulsively towards me, then why are you here right now, idiot? I don't know what you're talking about but just so you know, being attracted to you may be possible to happen but not in this lifetime."

She saw his ears turned red like that of Bashful, one of Snow White's elves, whenever he feels shy. She knew he was ashamed to be called idiot in front of someone else and to be humiliated like that. Naruto had a very wide grin now which irritated him more. As he stood there, his forehead creased, looking perfectly baffled over something.

She ignored this and spoke to Naruto. "I gotta go now. Bye." Then walked away from the moron, leaving him there like an idiot which was what he really was.

_Attraction and repulsion. Hah!_, she thought and couldn't help herself but grin.

-end-


	7. The better half

7.) The better half

Haruhi decided that quitting herself that way without personally talking to Mrs. Suoh would show no sign of respect to the lady. She even had a panicky thought realizing that the jerk would let his mom read the note she left him which would really be a bad thing on Mrs. Suoh's impression of her. So no matter how unwilling she was to go back to that assuming moron's place, she again found herself ringing the doorbell of the Suoh's house.

She didn't have to wait longer when a maid approached her and let her in, guiding her towards the living room. She was surprised to see someone in there. One of the twins though she wasn't sure who. But he was holding a Calculus book something the dumb one was allergic to. Surely, that one was the genius one.

He seemed to be so immersed in reading that he didn't notice her immediately. She was somehow glad with that since she suddenly remembered the awkward situation they had first meet.

"Hey! Good that you still came," she suddenly heard him say. She looked at him and couldn't believe that he wasn't the genius one after all. If she didn't see his lips move, she would have believed she was seeing things. It was the jerk, the jerk but now, without a toothy grin but creased eyebrows. He plumped the book beside him and rotated his neck a couple of times.

"Tamaki?" she couldn't help blurting out.

That was the first time she had called him by his first name and he suddenly felt something weird crept over him. He quickly ignored it.

"Let's get this over with quickly. Tell me what to answer now," he said.

She looked at him like he was insane. But then, didn't she think he was really insane?

"I'm ready for my test."

She stared at him. Flabbergasted. He was asking for his test? Surely, she wasn't dreaming because she again saw him roll his eyes and said "Get over it, will yah."

She frowned and unconsciously placed her hands on her hips. "I thought me quitting was one of your lifetime wish."

He rolled his eyes and bore his eyes at her then away. "I still think that way. But if you quit, I also quit the soccer team. If you stay, I get to stay in my team. So, I figured, maybe we could er, turn over a new leaf."

"So, you're choosing the lesser of two evils, I see," she grinned with the idiom he used. _Turn over a new leaf_.

He nodded and she got the feeling that he couldn't look at her in the eyes. _Maybe because of his 'attraction and repulsion' remark yesterday_, she thought, amused. She sat on a seat across him, looked at him and thought she saw his ears turned red again.

The jerk sure felt embarrassed around her which she found very amusing. _Very ironic of his image in school._

"So, can I take the test now?" he asked impatiently, glanced at her then quickly veered away like she was Medusa with a deadly gaze. She told him the page he was to answer and he quickly started looking for it, and probably, answered it, since he was already scribbling something on his paper.

She had the chance to study the jerk when he started to get immersed with his test. She remembered Hinata's sparkling eyes just like the other girls' eyes whenever she sees the guy and frowned. Whenever she sees him, all she could feel was irritation. Irritation with his apparent arrogance. His domineering attitude like he was the king of the world. But maybe, her eyes did sparkle too when he's in sight. Sparkle with the tears she feels for such a pathetic and piteous big-headed creature.

"You're making it harder to concentrate with you staring there." She could feel herself turn scarlet red with the unexpected remark. She was thankful he didn't tear his gaze from the book or else, he might have burst into fits of laughter seeing her face as red as an apple.

"I couldn't help it. Didn't you say I was attracted to you?," she managed to say, grinning as it was his turn to be embarrassed.

"Yeah, right," he grunted making no motion to look at her.

She suddenly wondered how he boiled down her note into such absurd conclusion. It was apparent how she relentlessly insulted him on that paper and yet, all he comprehended from it was her impossible attraction to him. There's got to be something wrong with the note if not his mental comprehension.

"Uhm, can I possibly see that note I left here?"

She saw his right hand tightened his grip on the pen then he looked at her for the first time with smoking irritation. "I'm working on a Calculus test right now and you keep butting in there, distracting me. Surely, you can do better than that, right?"

She frowned with the sudden comeback of his rudeness though she knew he had a point. She found his neck enticing again to be wringed.

"And who would keep such thing. It's best in the garbage," he added then continued to answer his test.

She bit her lower lip with irritation and tried to look away from the yellow-haired idiot in front of her.

That's when she saw him descending downstairs.

He seemed to be surprised seeing her there but then gave her a smile. She managed to return the smile though she suddenly felt conscious when he walked towards her and his twin.

The first thing that came to her head was, he was. . .charming. a charming prince though without a stallion and only in a t-shirt with Bob Marley's face printed on it.

This, in her opinion, was more likely the guy those girls in their campus should fall head over heels with. She was surprised when he sat on a chair next to her, expecting that he would sit beside his twin to somehow radiate his intelligence to him.

"Seems like disciplining Tamaki is just kid's stuff to you," he started with a very refreshing smile. A smile she knew that could dazzle those girls in their campus. Now she knew how that monster would look like with a smile printed on his face.

"Nah. He's a tough costumer," she said honestly then smiled. Their resemblance was incredibly striking. _Duh, what do you expect from identical twins,_ she thought. She bet that if the two would smoothen their expressions, people would surely have a hard time figuring out which is which.

Boy, it must be tough for Mrs. Suoh, she thought, suppressing a smile.

"By the way, I'm Naoki, obviously, Tamaki's twin," she heard him say with a forwarded hand.

"I'm ——"

"Haruhi, right?" he smiled and she nodded then shook hands.

She was surprised to find that he knew more things about her than her name like her being a scholar in their campus and her running for valedictorian. She instantly forgot that that was the same guy she had seen with only a blue towel on.

"Okay, okay. Enough with your heart to heart talk, there. I'm done here," Tamaki suddenly interrupted them, stretching his arms widely, looking quite pleased at his answers.

She didn't waste time and quickly checked his answers. Luckily, she brought the same bag she had the last time she went there. She got her Superman notebook where the answer key was written then heard Tamaki whispered about Superman being lame and ignored it.

"Superman's cool," Naoki suddenly muttered who Tamaki just answered with a disbelieving look.

After knowing the score, Tamaki was the only one who was jumping his feet off with joy. Clearly, it was a mediocre score to Naoki and the nerd but he didn't care. It was Calculus and he passed it for the first time!

Haruhi was quite secretly surprised with his score. She really expected him to fail. It was cruel to admit but she actually wished he would flunk the test the moment she told him about it. She didn't expect the feeling of amusement seeing the jerk's face lightened up after knowing he passed it, not caring even if he only got saved by 1 point. Maybe because she knew that it was pure joy.

"I knew it! I knew it! If I'd studied longer, I know I could have perfected it!" Tamaki yelled then saw her disbelieving expression and his twin's forced smile, then added, "Okay, maybe not perfect but absolutely higher than this one."

She heaved a deep breath and smiled to herself. Seems like the monkey wasn't that dumb after all.


	8. False attraction?

8.) False Attraction??

"You can't prove it like that." Haruhi corrected, slightly impatient but Tamaki could see a slight amusement on her face. He grunted.

"Why do I even need to prove these? To think that these are already Theorems? Theorems, do you hear that? It means they're already pro——"

"I know that, okay." She looked at him sarcastically. "They're part of Mrs. Unohana's test so your complaints are futile." She got his scratch papers and wrote another theorem he had to prove. He felt her hand brushed against his arm when she got the paper and suddenly felt them go clammy. His hands, that is.

He shook his head to erase such ridiculous thought. He had been feeling all those alien feelings whenever he was with the nerd and still couldn't fathom what they meant. He was sure dead though that they were not because of intimidation. In fact, they had quite improved in terms of treatment towards each other and what he meant with that was that they still yell at each other though with more understanding now. Though it doesn't make sense, he knew it was a lot better than before.

"So, Naoki's not around today and you're mom and dad's out, too. Which only means you're alone here now." She spoke as she gave him the scratch papers. She already knew that his dad was out for a company trip.

He looked at her and suddenly felt annoyed with her should-be-not-irritating remark. "So what if Naoki's not around today and I'm just alone?"

She looked at him, surprised by his unreasonable annoyance. He just suddenly felt a rush of annoyance hearing her speak of his twin. It was really absurd. His twin had been apparent about his feelings for Haruhi and had continued to savor moments with her every time she tutors him.

"What's wrong with you? I was just going to free you early today and let you off with your other friends to do what you want, seeing that you're not focused with this."

And the next thing he uttered was beyond what he could possibly think he was capable of saying.

"I'm fine here. Just go on teaching there." _Am I out of my freaking mind? What am I saying?_

He knew she found it also "so not him" to refuse her offer but then she nodded. "Just thought you might want to spend time with your friends or maybe your girl."

He suddenly felt a surge of guilt ran through him. His girl. He was absolutely certain that Kanoya would love to go out with him right that moment. She was constantly bugging him the last few days on his sudden weekend house trip instead of going out with her or his other buddies. Sometimes, he could feel that Kanoya was suspecting something strange going on with him but just couldn't figure it out. He, himself couldn't even figure it out, too. About the abnormal feelings around the nerd.

"She'll be fine," he managed to say then quickly set his gaze at the theorems he still had to prove to occupy his mind.

"She might just miss her boy," he heard her tease so he unwillingly tore his gaze from the annoying theorems and looked at her irritatingly only to find her smiling face as she was scanning the pages of one of the magazines in their living room. He hung up in a daze. It was like it was the first time he had set his gaze upon her. It wasn't the geek who irritated him in her presence. It wasn't the face of the geek who calls him moron. It was a girl with a radiating smile which suddenly stunned him right that moment. He felt his heartbeat went erratic which he thought was stupid. His hands were getting sweaty and he still couldn't take his eyes off of her face. He closed his eyes as hard as he could to rescue him from the insanity he was feeling only to find himself as he opened his eyes, under her gaze.

"Hey, are you alright?" he heard her say or maybe that was what she said since he couldn't think clearly now with her drawing closer to him. He shook his head to clear his mind and looked at her but he could still hear his erratic heartbeats. They were very loud that he stupidly feared she might hear them.

"Tamaki? Hey, what's wrong? You're so red," she said with slight amusement in her tone. The moment he heard her say his name, he got that funny feeling in his stomach which worsened everything. He cleared his throat to say something only to let out a croaked sound. He quickly stood up to avoid her gaze and managed to say "Comfort room" then hurried himself upstairs leaving her unable to make out something with his odd behavior.

* * *

It was a Tuesday afternoon, three days after Tamaki's odd behavior. Haruhi had already confided it to her friend Hinata who was really serious in finding the right explanation for it. Hinata now approached her with her personal understanding of it.

"He likes you."

She had to ask Hinata again to believe what she heard her friend said.

"He likes you Haruhi! That's the reason for that odd behavior," Hinata was profusely beaming at her, nodding her head like it would somehow sway her to believe her improbable theory.

She couldn't help herself and let out a laugh. "I tell you he looked like he had seen a ghost and you think that he likes me. That's just so ridiculous."

"It might sound funny Haruhi but you can't deny that possibility."

She looked at Hinata sourly. "Don't go pairing me again with him just because you don't like Kanoya for him."

Hinata shook her head quickly. "It's not that I don't like Kanoya but I'm just telling you my comprehension of his actions. You say he shook his head then looked at you like it was the first time he saw you."

"Like he saw a ghost," she corrected.

"It's like he suddenly saw you and realized that ——"

"— that I'm a girl, right? Well, that's very, very flattering to know," she said sarcastically.

"It's not like that. He suddenly realized that he likes you."

She shook her head with disbelief as they finally reached the place where their lockers where located. A sudden commotion distracted them. There were boys hooting and girls screaming with joy not far away from them. They curiously looked to see what the reason for the ruckus was.

She then saw Tamaki receiving an overly tight hug from his girl, Kanoya with a noticeable red rose on her one hand. They were surrounded by their group of jocks and cheerleaders.

And then it suddenly hit her. Unexpectedly, she suddenly felt her heart missed a beat which instantly made her veer away quickly from the scene. She shook her head to clear her mind from the unusual sensation she suddenly felt. It was ridiculous!

"There goes you're prince charming and his princess," she muttered to Hinata as she ignored what she felt a while ago. She could see Hinata's obvious disappointment printed explicitly on her face. She suddenly noticed how her tone almost sounded . . . disappointed?

_Nah, it can't be. I gotta be insane before that happens_, she comforted herself though it still bothered her and quickly worked the combination on her locker and shoved the things she had to get from her locker in her bag to get away from that place as quick as she can.

* * *

_It had worked_, Tamaki thought satisfactorily, seeing how his friends and the other girls cheered as he gave Kanoya a red rose to make up for his weekend absences.

Kanoya's face was beaming with happiness he almost thought that she wasn't acting anymore. She suddenly threw her arms around him which made the noise become much louder. It was all going too well when his eye caught something that made him feel it was all wrong.

He saw her standing not far away, getting something from her locker with her white-eyed friend who was looking at their direction, an expression of explicit disappointment. A most unusual feeling swept over him which almost made him threw Kanoya's arms away from him. Almost. Fortunately, he just stayed still with Kanoya still clinging on him like a Koala bear as she managed to close her locker and went away without looking at his direction.

_Did she see me?_, he said to himself then quickly shook off such thought. _So what if she saw me in this kind of position? Who cares what she thinks? I don't care_. But then, he inadvertently got irritated seeing some of his friends' eyes were looking at the direction where the nerd has been.

"Hey, this is so romantic of you," he heard Kanoya's usual sweet voice and realized that he was still surrounded by his friends and Kanoya still had her arms around his neck making their faces only inches away. All he could respond was just a forced smile which seemed to deceive Kanoya and his friends as they continue hooting at them. They didn't have any idea how his mind was in constant struggle and how he was rankled with confusion with his sudden feeling for the nerd.

Why was he feeling those eccentric feelings? _I must be insane_, he alarmingly thought. If there was one person he should be accidentally thinking about that moment, it should be the girl with both arms flung around him. Kanoya had been undeniably intimately acquainted with him since second year but he never once felt anything weird around her. No occasional skips of his heart and not even close to having his hands clammy whenever she's near. Nothing.

"Kiss! Kiss!" he heard their friends cheer. Kanoya's face was smiling profusely and was obviously just waiting for him to do it. He moved to give Kanoya a smack on the lips when the moment he was an inch away from her face, he suddenly saw the nerd's face.

His lips landed on Kanoya's left cheek. His friends seemed to be satisfied with the cheek kiss since the cheering grew louder. He saw Kanoya's confused expression facing him. And he quickly looked away and forced a smile at the crowd. Kanoya put up a beaming expression again, facing their friends when he glanced at her. She let go of him and went to her cheerleader friends as he also perfunctorily went to his friends, cursing the weird sensations he was feeling.


	9. It's a date!

9.) It's a date!

"Haruhi. I wanted to ask you about this coming School Dance. I want to ask you ——."

"NO! Stop!" Haruhi heard herself yell. "I mean, don't finish your question, Naruto." She added with a flushed expression. It was dismissal time and they were in the exact place where the moron first interrupted them.

Naruto had an embarrassed look on his face. He couldn't dare look at her now.

"It doesn't mean that. . . I mean. . . you should instead ask my friend, Hinata. I know she's just silently waiting for you," she managed to say though stammering. She heaved a deep sigh.

Naruto looked at her, clearly surprised with what she said. She nodded to assure him that he heard it right. He shook his head.

"But Hinata. . .she likes. . she likes the jock guy. I mean, I see her smile whenever he's around," he spoke with a hint of irritation.

She suddenly found herself smiling and Naruto was puzzled. "You're jealous right? You're jealous 'cause you like Hinata."

He looked embarrassed and even turned red which made her grin more. Now she was really amused. Though it was true that Hinata smiles when she sees the moron, Haruhi noticed that Naruto never misses to also be around when Hinata's eyes seem to sparkle. She suddenly had the notion that maybe Hinata was just making Naruto feel jealous. Hah! Good news for Hinata since it worked perfectly well.

"You should ask her quickly now, before she ends up with someone else," she muttered delightfully. He looked at her, nodded then smiled. "Thanks, Haruhi."

She just smiled and even with Naruto gone, she was still smiling on her way to the dormitory, failing to notice a guy standing beside a red car parked there. The parking place in their campus was just near the dormitory.

"Looks like you're inspired," a familiar voice spoke which instantly brought a surge of irritation over her. She looked at him and was taken aback to see that it was the better half.

"Naoki?" she unbelievably mused then heard whispers coming not far away from where they were. She sullenly discovered that some girls were eyeing Naoki, obviously interested with the dazzling good-looking guy who was their campus crush's twin.

He was smiling sweetly at her, looking perfectly dazzling as he moved towards her.

"How come you're here? Missing your twin already?" she kidded around though still conscious with the unwelcome gazes from the girls hiding behind the bushes near them.

He shook his head, smiling. "Just wanted to see you."

She almost choked on her own saliva. She cleared her throat and fervently wished that those girls missed that one but she felt hopeless as she noticed the whispers becoming louder.

She frowned and whispered to his ear. "Don't tease me like that with all those girls around."

He grinned and looked at her intently. "Who ever said I was teasing?" His voice was clearly louder than normal and she could only bite her lip seeing it was getting worse. She shot him a sarcastic look. "Thanks for that."

"What?" he asked, trying to look innocent. She pouted her lips and shook her head with disbelief which made him smile more.

A voice suddenly called Naoki. The other half.

"Hey Naoki! How come you're here?" she noticed Tamaki's voice trailed off when he saw her. He was with his other jock friends who were lucidly surprised to see her with Naoki.

"Just suddenly wanted to visit your school and Haruhi here," Naoki coolly replied.

She froze on her place, almost choking again with what he said. She wanted to put some socks in Naoki's mouth to stop him from teasing her and embarrassing her, most unfortunately with his twin and the jocks around. She cleared her throat as she saw the meaningful smiles that Tamaki's friends were exchanging themselves. But Tamaki's irritated face clouded them all.

She suddenly remembered his wide grin that morning with his girl hugging him and all he gave her now was an irritated expression. It extremely annoyed her though she couldn't comprehend why.

"Haruhi, are you free tonight?" she heard Naoki asked her which got her confused and made her nod and say yes. The next thing she heard was something she had dreaded Naoki to say in front of all those people there.

"Good. Let's have dinner together." She was apparently dumbstruck and was suddenly mute. The people there seemed to be waiting for her reply, too. Then Tamaki spoke, maybe guessing she wasn't going to answer or that she really didn't know what to answer.

"Why don't' you two go tonight at Kanoya's house. There'll be a party there at 7 o'clock," he said but she sensed insincerity in his tone.

"You can bring some of your friends there if you want," he added and knew that it was meant for her.

"That's good," she heard Naoki's cool reply. She looked at Tamaki who was also looking at her. He looked away then motioned to go and quickly added. "See you there."

She sighed.

"Hey, where are you going?" Tamaki quickly inquired seeing his twin hastening his pace towards the main house's door. He was sitting at the living room watching cartoon network. Naoki was wearing a blue shirt and denim jeans.

"Getting Haruhi."

"But the party is still at 7. It's still 6:30 dude," he mused trying not to frown with the thought that his twin was going to escort the nerd there.

"She didn't want to go to the party. I asked her again to go somewhere else." His twin was smiling and he didn't know if that was good news. Though he didn't want to admit it, it alarmed him. _Naoki and the nerd, going out on a date?_, he thought.

"You're not going to the party now?" He inquired not noticing how conspicuous his irritation was. "Did she say yes?" he added quickly not caring if he sounded prying. His twin seemed to be oblivious with his sudden nosiness and was still smiling when he replied. "No, we're not going to the party and yes, she agreed."

The right thing he should have replied with his twin's respond was "Good and have a good time", instead he went, "Where are you gonna eat?" He wasn't surprised if Naoki found his question weird.

"I think Haruhi likes to eat fries and burgers, so I'm taking her to a fast food."

Tamaki unwillingly turned his attention to the TV again finding it futile to ask for more information just wanting to waste his twin's time and delay him from fetching the nerd. It was actually selfish and childish, he realized. Then Naoki's phone suddenly rang.

"Haruhi," he heard Naoki said to the other line which made him turn his attention to his twin again. _He has her cell num?_ He didn't even know she had a cell.

"Oh. So she couldn't come? So, are we still on?"

Silence.

"Okay. Great," then his twin put his cell back in his pocket.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Hinata couldn't come with us," then after seeing he didn't get it, his twin added, "Haruhi finds it more fun if there's more company."

He nodded and realized that it wasn't going to be a date after all but now that Hinata, whoever she was, maybe the white-eyed girl he always sees with the nerd, now that she wasn't going, it'll undeniably be a date.

Tamaki sat up a little straighter in his seat, feeling his chest tighten slightly. Another weird feeling he shouldn't even be experiencing. Normally, he should have been happy to see his twin finally spending time with a girl now and not with his boring and scary lessons. But blissfulness seemed to be so far from what he was feeling. And he couldn't help it.

"I'm coming."

Naoki looked at him, clearly surprised with what he said.

"I mean, if you want more company. . . I could come," he added grateful he didn't stammer.

"You're not going to your girl's party now?"

He was surprised how quickly he had shaken his head. "I miss eating burgers and fries. I suddenly find it appetizing." He hoped his twin would believe such alibi to butt in on his should-be-successful-time alone with the nerd.

Naoki's expression was still curious but he nodded and grinned. "Well, I think Haruhi would like that."

Tamaki just nodded.

It was a smooth drive towards the fast-food chain and the three quickly got themselves a place away from the crowded area. Tamaki was seated beside Naoki which he intended to happen. Haruhi was seated across him.

Haruhi was surprised when she saw him with Naoki and maybe found it weird for him to be tailing the two of them but he couldn't care and he didn't know why.

"I'm gonna get our orders," Haruhi said, motioning to stand when Naoki stopped her.

"I'll do it," he said, smiling then asked them for their orders.

_What a gentleman_, Tamaki thought. To Tamaki's great surprise, Haruhi ordered two burgers and two fries.

"Don't you know that those have too much calories for a girl like you?" he couldn't help blabbing as his twin already left for the counter. He couldn't believe her appetite seeing that she was not even close to being chubby.

"What's wrong with my order?" she asked, clearly puzzled which somehow, amused him.

"Some girls wouldn't even bite a burger and there you go ordering two burgers in one serving," he smiled as he spoke, shaking his head in pure amusement.

"I'd rather get fat than get hungry, you know. And besides, I'm gonna pay for those, it's not like I'm gonna eat them for free" she pouted her lips like a child as she reasoned out.

_Dub,dub,dub,dub_. He cleared his throat and shifted his gaze at the other people eating in there. He found her really naïve for thinking that Naoki was going to let her pay for what she ordered.

"I bet, if you continue that kind of appetite, you'll be just like that," he teased, looking at a fat girl seating not away from them, enjoying her fried chicken. The fat girl was sitting with a slim guy who looked really happy watching the girl devour her food.

Haruhi looked at what he was talking about then looked back at him, frowning. "What's wrong with that?"

He was surprised. He thought she would be horrified and would babble things like "Oh no! I wouldn't eat food with too much calories again!" just like what he usually hears from the cheerleaders. He couldn't blame them though for who would like to see cheerleaders with exposed tummies flapping like tongues in front of the crowd.

"Well. . nothing's wrong," he managed to say, looking at her frowning face.

"So what if I get fat? At least, that girl knows who could really accept her no matter what size her body is."

He suddenly found himself grinning. The nerd was clearly not typical. He noticed her shook her head like she was clearing herself from some stupid thoughts.

"You know, you are weird."

"I don't know if that's a complement or what, but thanks anyway," she looked at him, he was smiling and it hit her again. She unconsciously smiled.

A flushed Naoki suddenly appeared towards them, carrying the orders they told him. "Hey guys! I'm so sorry but one of my classmates called me. He said it was urgent, an accident in the school lab."

"I'm really sorry Haruhi. I'll make it up to you," he quickly spoke hastily looking at her then bade goodbye to the two of them.

"Freaks," Tamaki muttered under his breath but Haruhi heard it and looked puzzled.

"Well, what normal students would still be in their school lab in this kind of time?" he lazily reasoned out, then took a bite on his burger.

She grinned remembering that she had also experienced being in the lab during late nights, trying to finish the research she was making. _Freaks,_ she thought hilariously.

Tamaki stole a glance at the nerd finding her looking amused like enjoying some internal joke before taking a bite on her burger. This got to be a weird turn of events. He was just sitting in the living room watching Cartoon Network and all of a sudden, here he was now with her. Alone with her. Of course excluding all the people around them there. He couldn't believe that they were actually and technically on a date right now. He looked at her again and found some sauce messed on one side of her lips. She seemed unaware of it.

"Hey, you've got sauce on your face." She looked up, then realizing what he just said, she wiped the back part of her free hand on the wrong side of her face.

"Wrong side." She moved her hand on the right side only spreading up the sauce.

He groaned. "What are you doing?" then irritatingly got a tissue and leaned to wipe the mess she caused. It was too late for him to realize what he did. Her left cheek was warm when his hand touched it. He quickly sat back again after quickly getting the sauce from her face.

He averted his gaze to his fries to avoid foolishly looking at her, not seeing that she actually turned red. Then music filled the place. To his great annoyance, it was a love song. _Just perfect_, he thought irritatingly.

"That music should definitely be played during the School Dance," Haruhi blurted out, imagining how Hinata and Naruto would look like dancing on that tone.

Tamaki looked at her and asked in his most nonchalant voice. "You're going to the school dance?" He tried to ignore imagining the nerd wearing a cute cocktail dress.

She looked confused, musing. "I don't know. It's going to be three days from now, right? This Friday."

He nodded unconsciously shoveling a spoonful of sundae into his mouth then spoke. "You should come. At least, experience senior things like that. Don't be such a killjoy." He tried hard not to sound persistent.

"Like someone would want me there. Who could possibly wish for my presence there?," she said like it was such a ridiculous idea.

He cleared his throat. "You never know." _That someone could be me.._


	10. Wishful Thinking

**lanalane17**: finally written the other chaps. . .hope you won't find chaps 10 and 11 boring. . . I just really have to include these chaps before the School Dance chap. . . hope you'll like it and hope you'll review!

10.) Wishful thinking

-Two days before the school dance-

Tamaki was frowning again. And this time, he was nervous, too. He couldn't believe that a while ago, he was just spending time with his girlfriend, Kanoya who was overly joyous talking about the coming School Dance and now, here he was walking around the campus still with Kanoya but already with his smiling twin looking for someone. Looking for the nerd.

Anywhere they go, they always attract the students' attention wondering, maybe what the three well-known students were looking for.

"What's this really important thing you have to tell her? Can't it wait till this Saturday?" he asked trying to sound as casual as he could knowing that Kanoya was with them. Girls can be very perceptive.

"Yeah, Naoki. Haruhi's probably still busy cloning a fly right now in the Bio Lab," Kanoya joked around and he tried to find the humor in it but couldn't. He could have sworn he would find it very hilarious before. Before he knew the nerd.

Naoki looked at both of them with a big smile. Tamaki felt Kanoya's grip tightened, maybe fighting the effect of his twin's dazzling smile. He almost grinned.

"It would be too late if I tell her this Saturday." Naoki spoke with an air of excitement which heightened Tamaki's nervousness. _Is he going to officially court her?_ It wasn't impossible. _But why would it be late if he asks her this Saturday?_

They were near the Bio Lab now when Kanoya suddenly spoke.

"My, my, lucky prince charming. There goes your princess," and they both looked at the direction where Kanoya was pointing at.

_ Uh,oh. Why did you show up?_ Tamaki's mind revolted as they went closer to the nerd. He frowned. Seems all he ever did and all he could do now was to frown.

Haruhi went out of the Bio Lab with her classmates. They had just finished trying to clone a fly which only a few people would find as an interesting task. She, Hinata and Naruto were going to part ways with their other classmates when she saw them. Three beautiful creatures coming closer to her direction.

Her other classmates stood rooted in their places, curious of why the three popular people were there.

"Haruhi!" a beaming Naoki was coming close to her first. "Hey Hinata. Naruto," he smiled, acknowledging Hinata and Naruto's presence which Hinata returned with a bashful smile and Naruto with a nod and a grin. Naoki had already gotten to know her friends.

"Naoki. You're here again," she said, smiling and trying hard not to glance at the two approaching figure behind him. Naoki looked at her with that 'you-complete-my-day' look. He looked perfectly dazzling.

The other two finally stood behind Naoki, looking at her, too.

"So, Haruhi, done cloning a fly, huh?" Kanoya spoke, moving closer to Tamaki. She didn't know if it was a joke or that Kanoya just really know what was happening inside the lab.

"How did you find out?" she asked expecting Kanoya would be surprised. And truly, Kanoya's expression was shocked and she could swear that she heard her other classmates chuckled. _Why won't you save your princess from embarrassment now? _She unexpectedly thought, trying not to look at the moron.

Naoki cut Kanoya's embarrassment when he spoke, smiling. "I wanted to ask you about something, Haruhi. But, maybe it would be better if it would be just the two of us."

She looked at Naoki, wondering. _A private talk?_ She noticed a blushing Hinata slowly stepping away from her side with Naruto's hand pulling Hinata gently, giving Haruhi her private talk with Naoki. The other people were also starting to walk away when Tamaki spoke with a bored tone.

"What's the need for privacy, Naoki? Just tell her now."

The students turned to look at them again. She wanted to strangle him then and there. She didn't know why she was irritated. Maybe because of his nosiness or his arrogant stance or maybe because he was with Kanoya. She considered the last one ridiculous.

Naoki laughed. "Okay, okay. I just thought it's very . . . it might embarrass Haruhi here. But . . . so, I just wanted to ask you Haruhi if ——"

She noticed Tamaki looked nervously at his twin while Kanoya was looking at Tamaki like realizing something. Then she was distracted noticing how Kanoya's fingers were intertwined with Tamaki's. She suddenly felt it hard to breathe and realized what Naoki was saying.

"— I could escort you this coming School Dance?" Naoki finished with a hopeful look. Some students were giggling while others were cheering after hearing what he said. The School Dance was open to all students from other schools so if the students' boyfriends or girlfriends were from other schools, they can freely join the dance.

She didn't know how to react and just managed to open her mouth with no words coming out. She saw Kanoya's surprise then she unintentionally glanced at Tamaki's face. Their eyes locked for a fraction of second then he looked away. Her heart sank.

Did she hope Tamaki would shake his head to object? Did she really hope that? With Kanoya's figure intimately close to him that moment? She was no match for her. She was piteous.

"Yes. Of course. I mean, I thought nobody wanted to escort me there. It's great that that somebody would be you," she gushed, looking at Naoki who was wearing a delightedly satisfied expression. She was able to smile. At least, there was someone who seemed happy to be with her. Someone who smiles every time she's in sight. Someone who would want her in the School Dance.

Someone she actually deeply wished to be Tamaki Suoh.

-end-


	11. I am a loser

**lanalane17**: still there? Anyways, this chapter I guess shows the positive changes that are happening in Tamaki's behavior. . like the way he wants other people to see him. . . hope you'll review!

11.) I'm a loser.

A day before the school dance. Tamaki just received a call from Kanoya. She was obviously crying as she talked to him on the phone and he had to try real hard to understand what she was blabbing about since she was still sobbing and then would burst into a wail of irritatingly noisy cry.

"Chicken pox?" he repeated trying to get it clearer. Wailing again.

"Yeah. I hate it! Why did it have to happen now? Of all time! I can't imagine myself not being with you in the school dance!" she wailed on the other line.

Tamaki cleared his throat, guilty that he actually wished he would be with 'another' girl in the coming school dance than his girlfriend.

"That's really . . . er. . .unfortunate," he managed to say trying to sound as sympathetic as he can. Why didn't he feel sad for Kanoya? Shouldn't he be alarmed that he was going to look like a fool in the School Dance coming there alone? It wouldn't be cool for his image, right?

Surprisingly, he didn't care at all. Just two days ago, he had just spent time in a fast-food with the person he wants to be with (though he still doesn't want to admit it) in the coming School Dance and persuaded her subtly to be there. Now he regretted ever doing that. Naoki, his twin, just couldn't miss a single chance and quickly asked if he could be the geek's escort. And she agreed! He felt irritated remembering it all, unconscious that Kanoya was still on the other line, wondering if he was still there.

"Yeah, I'm still here," he managed to say coming back to his senses.

"So. . . Who're you going with tomorrow instead?" he heard her asked.

"I'll go there alone."

"Are you sure?" she inquired and he thought he heard a tone of insincerity in her voice. "I mean, you could ask another girl to be your partner."

She was obviously lying and he knew it.

"Okay," he replied and he heard her sigh. "But I told you, I'm gonna go there alone." _If it's not 'her' then I'd rather be alone._

"Well, if that's what you want. Bye, Tamaki!" Kanoya spoke with obvious gladness in her voice. He wondered as he replied a quick "Bye". Was Kanoya falling for him? Or has she _already_ fallen for him? He ignored such thoughts, frowning. Those would only make him feel guiltier.

"So, you have been spending private times with her for almost five Saturdays and you didn't even tell us?" Kyouya blurted out to him as they walked their way towards their soccer practice.

He just nodded. He was right how the rumor would quickly spread about him receiving tutorial lessons from the running valedictorian of their batch. He surprisingly forgot that this was something he dreaded before to happen but now, he felt absolutely unnerved. He could actually hear some girls talk about how they are also flunking Calculus and maybe tutorials are really good solutions to save their grades. He could hear guys feeling envious knowing that his tutor was Haruhi Fujioka, the nerd who had been constantly bugging his mind. It was weird how the students actually found it cool having a tutor just because he has one. That was how influential he was.

"So, you're twin got interested with her? No wonder," Kyouya continued.

He stopped himself from frowning, trying not to remember how the nerd accepted his twin's company in the School Dance. He tried to divert his attention to other things but was caught off guard with what his friend suddenly added.

"And you fell too? Right?" Kyouya was grinning widely, looking amused. He tried not to turn red.

"What are you talking 'bout?" he said lazily and as nonchalant as he could and tried to look Kyouya straight in the face to be more believable.

Kyouya's grin didn't waver. "I saw your expression, dude, when you saw the two together. You were obviously jealous!"

He tried to understand what Kyouya meant and remembered the time when Naoki visited their campus just to see the girl. _Was it that obvious? _Maybe he really was a bad actor after all. He faked a grin, shaking his head acting like it was extremely unbelievable and disgusting.

Kyouya smiled, clearly amused. "Dude! You like her!"

He looked at his friend, mouth slightly open. Why did Kyouya have to be stubborn? But he knew Kyouya knew him too well. He frowned in surrender which made Kyouya more amused.

"I don't like her, okay? It's just that . . . . she makes me feel different."

Kyouya laughed out loud making him feel irritated. "I knew it! You like her! But why are you hiding it? I mean, we all know she's not just an ordinary girl here. You shouldn't be asham—"

"——I'm not ashamed. I think you actually know why I'm hiding it," he irritatingly said, annoyed with the reason that Kyouya said. Was he really that kind of guy? That his reluctance to show his feelings for a girl was rooted in the fact if she wasn't famous? That if the nerd wasn't popular, he wouldn't show his true feelings? Maybe that was why the nerd doesn't like him. That thought stung him.

"You mean because your twin likes her? So what? This is a democratic country Tamaki. You could like her if you do, dude," Kyouya spoke, looking like he couldn't believe he was acting like a loser. Even he, himself, couldn't believe he was actually acting like he was such a LOSER. He was the most popular guy in their school, right? Wasn't he the first guy the girls in their campus would choose to be with? But everything was futile. All those things didn't matter to the nerd. Probably the nerd still would never like him even if he was the president's son.

"You ask me "so what"? Well, I've got news for you. She likes him, too." That stung him again. He didn't want to admit it but that was really what he could comprehend on the nerd's actions towards his twin. Not that she was flirty when they're together but just accepting dates like that and even allowing his twin to be her escort were major things. And besides, who wouldn't like his twin? Who really wouldn't? Even Kanoya couldn't help herself be dazzled by his twin's smile and to think he was her boyfriend.

"Seems like when it comes to your twin, you're willing to lose," Kyouya spoke, shaking his head.

"Nah, you're wrong. I'm not willing. It just so happens I always lose even if I want to or not," he murmured, frowning again for the millionth time that week.

-end-


	12. School Dance!

12.) The School Dance!

Haruhi was uncomfortable in her seat. She was wearing a pink cocktail dress and a make-up (done by a friend of Hinata's mom) which was why

she felt like she looked like an idiot that moment. Her hair was slightly curled giving her an elegant yet still simple look. It just made her more

embarrassed. To top it all, students were gawking on her seeing that her escort was none other than the perfectly dazzling Naoki Suoh. Her

friend, Hinata, who was very pretty in her baby blue dress was in another table since they had been grouped on which table to be placed. She

was happy to see Hinata looking delighted with her partner. The one Hinata had always wanted to be with. Naruto.

She suddenly felt something warm touched her hand on her lap. Naoki's hand.

"Don't be nervous, Haruhi. You look absolutely stunning." He smiled and she smiled back though still disbelieving. It was like the hundredth time

she heard him say that ever since he picked her up from the dorm to where they were now. A luxurious hotel owned by the parents of one of the

students there.

The food was extremely satiating and Naoki's company could never have been better. The music started to flood the place and slowly, students

went to the center to slow dance. Naoki was still getting her some desserts. She saw Naruto went somewhere and returned to his place with a

bouquet of roses which Hinata welcomed, blushing profusely. Then the two went to the dance floor and stayed still for a moment at the center, just looking into each other's eyes. It was overly romantic.

Haruhi smiled. She couldn't have wished for more for her friends. She swept the room trying to see if there were other perfectly paired couples

dancing there and for the first time that night, she saw him. And her heart did the weird thing again. Her heartbeat went faster seeing that he was

also looking at her direction then quickly veered away. He was three tables away from her place, alone, Kanoya was out of sight, then she instantly remembered that she had chicken pox.

He was so . . . alone. He seemed not to notice the group of girls eyeing his direction there, maybe getting the courage to ask him to dance. She tried to get him off his mind and saw Naoki coming with a plate of desserts. She smiled as Naoki placed the plate on the table.

"Haruhi, before you start eating again, may I have this dance?"

She looked at Naoki with his hand already forwarded obviously just waiting for her hand. She could feel the girls' gazes were all at her. The girls

who would give anything just to dance with any of the twins. She knew she couldn't avoid dancing that night but she still hoped she might.

"Er. . sure," she replied, nervously placing her hand on Naoki's. They went on the dance floor then they started to slow dance, awkwardly at first.

She wondered why Naoki couldn't take his eyes off of her face. His smile seemed permanent. They were so close so she tried to listen to her heartbeat. It was perfectly normal. _Why? Why isn't it double skipping?_ She couldn't help asking herself.

She suddenly caught Tamaki's figure getting out the door. She felt her heart sank again. When the music was finished, a group of girls started to shamelessly pull her away from Naoki competing to dance with him. She saw Naoki helplessly surrounded by the girls trying to free himself but

failed. Other girls started to look at her with their deadly stares so she quickly went out of that place but didn't forget to get some desserts first. _Those girls were creepy!_ she thought.

She sighed and decided to go to the garden part of the hotel she saw when they where getting inside it that afternoon. She quickly found it and

was surprised on how prettier the place was at night. The plants there had lights on them looking like thousand fireflies and the fountain was

amazing making the place look romantic. There were benches there overlooking the wide pond of the hotel. She sat on one of them.

"Wonderful," she murmured to herself feeling satisfied to be there alone then ate one of the cake she got. She could still hear the music being played in the hall and felt a little guilty to leave Naoki there.

"Hey, why are you here?" a voice from behind suddenly spoke. She quickly looked back and was surprised to find Tamaki leaning on the trunk of

the few trees around the place. It was quite dark in his place which might be the reason why she didn't notice anybody else around there but she

was sure it was his voice.

"Why are you here?" she asked back still looking at him. He was getting closer to where she was sitting now grinning. He sat beside her but with deliberate space.

"It was getting painful in there," he said, now looking at the wide pond. She frowned. _What did he mean?_ "Painful?"

He laughed and she caught her breath. "I can't survive those stares of those girls in there. Lucky I didn't melt." She nodded, now understanding

what was painful to him. _What else could have been painful for him?_ she thought irritatingly, feeling stupid for expecting something else.

"Where's Naoki? Why aren't you dancing with him?" He looked at her then quickly turned back to the pond like he couldn't endure looking at her for another second.

She smiled, also looking at the pond. "I can't save him from those other girls there who want to dance with him. They might just kill me." She

gestured her hand to give him some cake but he shook his head somehow amused, maybe with her insatiable appetite.

She smiled as she finished everything she was eating. She suddenly shivered noticing for the first time that it was cold out there then wrapped her

arms around her. She stared at the wide expanse of water in front of them and felt peaceful though her heartbeat was still double skipping. She

heard Tamaki groan then she suddenly felt something cover her shoulders and turned her head only to see Tamaki placing his coat on her! And to

make it much worse, it suddenly played. The song they heard when they were in the fast-food.

She froze momentarily, trying hard not to blush then managed to speak. "Thanks." He didn't respond. She glanced at him and he was still staring at the pond. He looked like he got a stiff-neck.

They were just like that for a while. Their silence almost seemed interminable except for the song which continued to seemingly tease them. Then something suddenly exploded and lit up the sky.

"Fireworks!" she delightedly exclaimed and stood up, quickly forgetting the silence that engulfed them a while ago. Tamaki stood too, also looking up.

"Beautiful!" she exclaimed. Every time the flares explode into bouquets of fire, she couldn't stop herself from clapping like a child. She heard Tamaki laugh.

"Yeah. Beautiful," she heard him said with an amused tone. She looked at him to see if he was also amazed by the fireworks only to find him looking at her. He wasn't looking at the fireworks after all.

_Dub, dub, dub_. He was looking at her! She was suddenly breathless and captivated. _How could she have imagined him as a monkey?_ _When right now all she could see was a carelessly handsome guy looking at her, a look that takes her breath away?_

She wanted to look away but there was something that's pushing her to keep her eyes on him. He seemed magnetized too since he wasn't

looking away. Their eyes locked again but this time it was different. It seemed like they had a connection. She was frozen on her place. The next

thing she knew, Tamaki was already leaning towards her, still not taking his eyes off of her. She couldn't move and her heart was beating so fast it

seemed like it was going to explode at any moment that time.

She felt dizzy seeing his face coming close to her face. _Is this real? Am I dreaming?_ He was getting closer and closer and . . . .

-end-

* * *

**lanalane17**: sorry guys if i can't update soon enough. . .School is very stressing as of the moment. . .I'll try to update as soon as i can. .Hope you continue reading. . .=D


	13. Misconceptions

13.) Misconceptions

The fireworks looked perfect in the dark sky. Something in the garden seemed to heighten its romantic view. Maybe it was the two figures there.

He looked again trying to see clearer if what he was seeing was really real. The guy was going to kiss the girl who looked like she was frozen in

her place. The two didn't seem to notice that someone else was present there.

He looked harder, still unbelieving what he was seeing. The guy was already inches away from the girl's face when he decided to turn away and

leave the place. He didn't want to see it and turned towards the door he forgot to close when he went in there. He closed the door carelessly

leaving a sound which the two would surely hear. But he couldn't care less. He didn't care. Something cracked inside him.

* * *

_This is wrong! Stop yourself, idiot_! Tamaki's thoughts were revolting. His face was inches away but his thoughts were in vain. He went closer and

closer . . . and he suddenly saw his twin's face but he didn't care. He really didn't care at all! He was just going to do it knowing deep inside that it

was what he wanted. And for what seemed like an eternity, their lips never reached each other.

A sound of a closing door filled the garden.

* * *

Haruhi's mind was filled with incorrigible thoughts. She didn't know if he was actually trying to kiss her that moment. He can't possibly like her, too.

But she didn't care. His face was so close now and her heartbeat was still frantic. She knew her face was all red. A cold wind breeze passed. Then

thoughts of Naoki and Kanoya popped in her mind. She sneezed. Tamaki veered away.

Then a door suddenly closed.

* * *

The fireworks died out leaving the music of the hall to fill the garden. Someone saw them and they both realized it but nobody spoke. Silence was

deadly discomfiting. They were like two idiots there, standing and looking at the wide pond in front of them, unable to face each other.

"Well, the fireworks were amazing." Haruhi tried to sound jubilant glancing at Tamaki who was obviously avoiding her gaze. She could see that his

ear was red and that his brow was knitted like he was confused over something.

_Idiot! This should be the time when you should leave! Leave now! He just clearly made a mistake! Retreat!_

He looked at her, frowning. "Hey——"

"I think I should go back now and check if Naoki's still alive there," she added quickly, still red faced and turned towards the door not wanting to

hear something painful like him saying it was just a mistake. But before she could go out, Tamaki already gripped her hand and made her face him.

She blinked uncomprehendingly, looking at his serious expression. His hand's touch brought a weird sensation to her.

He looked extremely annoyed. "I tried to kiss you, baka!" She knew that moment that all she wanted was to vanish from this world. All she could do was to continue blinking, still digesting what he was saying.

_He wasn't trying to kiss me! He's just fooling around!_, she said for the millionth time in her head. She suddenly heard him heaved a deep sigh and

freed her hand. He looked at her and she saw something in his eyes. Sadness.

He turned and walked back towards the bench. "Go and save Naoki now."

* * *

"Haruhi! I've been looking for you," Haruhi suddenly heard Naoki spoke and she could see anxiety in his face. She had left the garden as quick as

she could and she was walking towards the hall that moment when she bumped into Naoki. She couldn't contain the heaviness that she felt when

she saw Tamaki's face. _Why was he sad?_

Everything was so absurd to her. Tamaki's admission that he was going to kiss her didn't make sense. She couldn't make anything out of it but that

he was just playing around.

She tried to stop thinking about it. "How did you manage to escape those girls?" she asked, wondering. She was sure avoiding those creepy girls

was a tough job for Naoki.

"Got a little help from Naruto and other guys," he replied, somehow amused.

She bit her lower lip. "Sorry for leaving you there."

He shook his head and smiled. "You couldn't have done anything, too. Anyway, it's time to announce the School Dance winners now."

She smiled. He was just so good. "Let's go," she said placing her right arm awkwardly in Naoki's escorting arm.

Before they went inside the hall, she stopped herself from trying to look back to see if Tamaki was anywhere around there. Then, they went in just

in time when the host on the stage was announcing something.

"And the best School Dance couple award goes to . . . . . . Ms. Haruhi Fujioka and her pair Mr. Naoki Suoh!"

A deafening applause filled the hall and the spotlight quickly found where they were situated. "Please come up here to receive your award," the

host added.

They went up there and the applause went much louder. She could see everyone's faces printed with different expressions. Some were not so

happy for them mostly the creepy girls while some looked clearly delighted. She saw Hinata with a big smile waving her hand while Naruto was

smiling beside her. She saw one of the jocks, Kyouya, who seemed to be searching for someone then glanced at them with a sour expression. But

she was finding someone else. She noticed Kyouya's gaze continued to search. He seemed to have found what he was searching when he looked

towards the door. She looked there and found him.

* * *

Tamaki went inside the hall trying to figure out what was causing the irritatingly loud noise in there. He saw people cheering for something. They

were looking at something up the stage. He looked there.

He groaned. He never felt that piteous in his entire life but that moment. He looked at his twin and the nerd. They looked good together and

happy, too. He never once felt envious of what his twin had. Ever since, people had been comparing the two of them and he was always the

second best. But he didn't mind it. Until now.

He felt his heart squeezed. Naoki suddenly noticed him and grinned at him. All he could do was to nod. _What a loser._

The crowd suddenly yelled something. The host smiled. "Could you grant what they're asking?"

"KISS! KISS! KISS!" it became much louder like a death sentence to his ear. _It was just a kiss in the cheek. Why would that hurt him?_ But he was

dead wrong.

As his twin's face comes closer to kiss the girl, he suddenly felt it hard to breathe. He looked at her and was surprised to see her looking at him,

too. A while ago, he almost kissed her. Almost. Did it even matter to her? She didn't even ask him why he almost kissed her. She acted like it was

just a typical day with that "the-fireworks-were-amazing" comment, like their faces were always inches away. After his almost kissing her, all she

remembered was his twin.

"_I think I should go back now and check if Naoki's still alive there" _he remembered her saying.

He waited for her to look away but she was still looking like she's waiting for him to do something. _What did she want? For him to give her a thumbs-_

_up or something?_ He looked away just like every time their eyes locked.

It was time to go. Time to wallow his misery alone in his room. He shook his head as he went out the hall along with the piercing applause.

* * *

Haruhi didn't know what she expected Tamaki would do. It was highly impossible that he would stop his twin from giving her a kiss on the cheek. It

was so presumptuous to think that he might feel the same too but he didn't look happy now as his twin was going to plant a kiss on her cheek.

But he was still clearly unmoved. A fact that greatly disappointed her.

She continued to look at him, hoping he might show some care but he just looked away and went out.

The kiss finally landed and the applause packed the hall. It was so loud, loud enough to cover the sound of a broken heart.

-end-


	14. No holding back

14.) No holding back

"So, he's not here? Do you know where he went, Megumi?" Haruhi inquired from Megumi after she told her that the Suoh twins weren't around.

After telling her the possible destination of her master, Haruhi irritatingly walked away from the Suoh house towards the park where Megumi led

her to find the moron.

_ Baka_, she thought, frowning. Lucky she had strong legs used to practicing kicking a ball so she didn't get tired easily when she reached the place.

There were several people there, all seemed to be enjoying their time. There were lovers and mostly children delightedly playing. The sun's heat

was shaded by the trees surrounding the place.

She quickly began to search for the moron. She planned to go back to the house if she couldn't find him there so she scanned the place for the last

time then suddenly caught sight of a familiar cap worn by a guy sitting on one of the benches there. She was sure she had seen Tamaki wore that

cap once at the school and got irritated realizing that she couldn't help noticing him at school.

_Is that the moron?_ she thought to herself as she slowly made her way towards the guy whose face was half-hidden by the cap. When she was

about three steps away from the guy, he suddenly moved which made her see his face. It wasn't Tamaki after all but he noticed her quickly.

"Hey there," the guy said with a wide grin which made her slightly scared. He was looking at her intently. She unconsciously stepped back but the

guy was fast. He quickly gripped one of her hands.

"Why are you going? Weren't you approaching me?" the guy was already on his feet.

Haruhi vehemently pushed his hand away and was about to run away. As she turned back, she could see the guy's hand reaching again for her

but she suddenly bumped into someone who was just standing behind her. She almost lost her balance but the person's hand pulled her up.

"What the hell are you doing?" the person she bumped into spoke.

She looked up and actually felt her heart missed a beat when she recognized a frowning Tamaki. He wasn't looking at her though. He was looking

quite angrily at the scary guy. She realized that Tamaki's hand pulled her close to his side. Like he was protecting her. She froze in her place but

surprisingly felt safe beside him. They were already starting to catch other people's attention.

The guy grinned, still looking at her. There was something frightening with the way he gaze at her. His stare brought chills to her. "Your girlfriend

seems to be searching for someone else a while ago and approached me. I couldn't ——"

"Shut up!" Tamaki yelled and she saw Tamaki's knuckles tremble. He was so angry at the guy which surprisingly gladdened her inside. She shook

off such thought.

The guy seemed to realize that Tamaki was not in the mood for his chatty tone. "Okay, okay. Chill dude."

She looked at Tamaki whose expression was still frowning but without a violent aura just like a while ago. He heaved a deep sigh maybe trying to

calm himself down. His hand was still around her waist.

"That's my cap you're wearing."

The guy looked surprised then quickly threw the cap to Tamaki knowing it was not appropriate to tease him anymore. The guy sat back again

shaking his head, murmuring something about disturbing his time and other stuffs.

"Let's go now." Tamaki spoke, removing his hand then turned to walk away. She quickly followed him, keeping pace with his long strides. It

seemed like he was still irritated. She almost got him into trouble. _Baka_ ,she yelled to herself. She didn't know where they were going but she was

hesitant to ask him seeing that he still looked annoyed. They were on a deserted street now.

He suddenly stopped and closed his eyes like he was trying to calm himself down. She bit her lip.

"I almost punched that guy's face." She remained still, looking down at her feet, unable to know how to react. He was irritated with her, she knew

it. She glanced at him and found him looking at her.

"If you ever make me worry again . . ." he trailed off with a trace of admonition.

_Dub, dub, dub_. The alien feeling seized her again. Was he really worried about her? Her heartbeat was palpitating and her hands were suddenly

sweaty. She continued to look at him waiting for him to laugh and admit that he was just joking but he just frowned.

"I'm tired of tutorials today."

She tried to regain her composure and cleared her throat. "You should have said so then you wouldn't have wasted my time today!"

"Then you should have just gone home directly when you knew that I wasn't there."

She didn't know what to respond. _Why did I even find him in the first place? _She never really had any thought of going back to the dorm. He actually

hit the point and she hated it.

"Then I'll go now," she said with obvious annoyance and looked childish as she turned to walk away when he quickly grasped her hand and pulled

her as he started to walk towards the other direction.

"Let's grab a burger somewhere," she heard him say not looking at her but still holding her hand. She knew she actually felt her knees wobble

with his touch so she snatched her hand back quickly.

He stopped then looked at her, puzzled and she hoped she was not blushing. It would be the last thing she wanted him to see.

"It's my treat."

He was actually convincing her maybe thinking that she really wanted to go already. He suddenly put on his cap. Carelessly doing it yet he still

looked amazing. She blinked hard and just managed to nod as he continued to walk, irritatingly dazed with his face.

* * *

He actually walked her to the dormitory after they ate. Haruhi couldn't believe it. It was just like a date. Their date. But ofcourse she knew that

Tamaki doesn't see it like that. She was wearing his cap now since it drizzled when they were walking back already. The sun was already setting.

She cleared her throat when they were already near the dormitory then stopped, not wanting for the other students to see them. They might just

make something impossible out of it.

She removed the cap and handed it to him. "By the way, how did that guy have your cap?" she managed to ask, trying to not quickly end that

moment.

"I was seated their first and I forgot it when I decided to go. Lucky I forgot it."

"Lucky you remembered." She grinned. She looked at him and surprisingly felt light seeing him grin. She actually forgot that she was heartbroken

during the School Dance and that the person she should be with that moment was Naoki.

"Thanks for the burger and. . . well, bye, bye," she tried to sound as casual as she could then turned to walk away.

"Hey," he suddenly called. She quickly turned and looked at him. Their eyes locked.

She was surprised to see him grin. "This time, I'm not holding back anymore."

She frowned, not making any sense of what he just said. "Huh?"

"Bye, bye," he said to her, still grinning then quickly turned and walked away leaving her absolutely puzzled and not to mention, dazzled.


	15. The Confession

**lanalane17:** hey guys! hope you liked what happened during the School Dance. . . i'm starting to get confused on how to continue the story now what with all the school works, and stuffs. . .but i would still do my best to make it still interesting. . .hope you'll continue reading. . .

* * *

15.) ** the Confession**

Winning the School Dance best pair made Haruhi's next days as irritating for her as they can get. Her

classmates kept on teasing her, pairing her with Naoki while some envious girls continue to cast her threatening

glares. The only thing that she was grateful for for the School Dance to happen was that Hinata and Naruto finally

acknowledged what they feel for each other. At least there were two less lonely people after the dance. At least,

her friend didn't end up broken-hearted like her.

She sighed and frowned. She didn't have any class already and she was walking towards the Bio Lab now to

check on her research. She unintentionally glanced at the soccer field. She frowned when she saw him playing there

and tried to ignore her thoughts on last Saturday. He looked so serious then remembered another hot issue there in

the campus aside from the current School Dance. The break-up of Mr. and Ms. Popular.

She looked away feeling surprisingly heavy seeing how he was greatly affected with it and continued to walk when

suddenly she was surprised to see two girls blocking her way. They just like popped out of nowhere. She recognized

them as members of the cheerleading squad.

"Haruhi Fujioka. Our cheerleader president wants to speak with you," one of the girls said. They were

both wearing their cheerleader uniforms which were absolutely eye-bulging for the guys to look at.

_Cheerleader president? Are they talking about Kanoya? _she thought.

"I'm in a hurry right now. I can't —" she was cut-off from talking when someone from behind the girls appeared. The

two girls backed off and let the person come into view. It was Kanoya wearing a jacket and tight jogging pants,

looking like she was going to the gym.

She then remembered that she just had Chicken pox. "Why do you want to talk to me?"

Kanoya looked at her and scrutinized her from head to foot. She noticed that she didn't have any visible scars on the

face like even Chicken pox didn't want to blemish her flawless skin. "I want you to stay away from Tamaki."

It was very blunt that it unsurprisingly surprised her. "Why are you ——"

"I know you're surprised that I'm telling you this. But . . I don't want you near him," Kanoya added with a

rankled expression.

She grinned with the absurdity of what was happening. "This is really ridiculous."

Kanoya looked at her intently.

"I don't really think you should feel insecure with me. I mean. . . but wait, weren't you the one who broke up with

him?" she suddenly remembered hearing other girls gossiping about it. She was sure Kanoya looked surprised. She

wondered.

"And even if you two are still together now, Tamaki would never choose me over you." She managed to add trying

so hard to sound unmoved and added a grin.

Kanoya remained still. She was looking at her intently and irritatingly. "I also thought that at first."

_What was she saying? "She also thought that at first"?_ She was not making sense to her. "I don't get it."

Kanoya heaved a deep sigh and flipped her hair over her shoulder consciously. She still looked as seductive as ever.

She looked irritated with her.

"Just stay away from him."

Her mind revolted but she couldn't get her mouth to say anything.

Someone suddenly spoke. "Fujioka is not involved here, Kanoya."

She turned around.

* * *

Tamaki knew Kanoya had intentions of confronting Haruhi. He knew that she knew his real feelings. He had

let everyone believed that Kanoya was the one who broke-up with him which was the only consolation he could give

her.

"Let's not blame anyone for what happened to us since we both know the real reason," he spoke in

his most serious tone. He could feel Haruhi's gaze beside her.

Kanoya looked teary-eyed now and casted Haruhi a more annoyed glare. "I can't just . . . I. . ," Kanoya

couldn't finish what she wanted to say and quickly ran away, apparently crying.

He sighed. Even if he does not feel anything for Kanoya, he still didn't want to see that he made someone

cry. He didn't expect that when he asked her to break-up with him, she wouldn't and even admitted that she's fallen

for him. He frowned remembering it.

"How could Kanoya possibly think that way?" he suddenly heard Haruhi speak more to herself than

to him which distracted him from his thoughts. She obviously really found it ridiculous.

_Baka_, he thought. He faced her who still seemed contemplating about what just happened.

"Hey baka, I've got to tell you something," he started. He didn't know where he suddenly got his

courage but he just felt like it was time to tell her.

She looked at him, clearly puzzled and surprisingly not reacting with him calling her baka. "Huh? What is it? I

really have to go to the Bio Lab now."

"I don't wanna lie anymore."

Her eyebrows creased with confusion. "I wanted to kiss you that night during the School Dance."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you've already told me that and I think I understand why you wanted to do

that."

His heart missed a beat. _Did she really understand?_ Hearing her talk so casually suddenly made him feel

discouraged.

"The fireworks made that night romantic and Kanoya wasn't there but I was there and maybe you

got swallowed by your emotions that you started imagining things."

He frowned. _How slow could she get? Baka! _he thought sourly.

"I wanted to kiss you and it's not because I missed Kanoya or imagined you to be her."

He saw her froze and quickly got an angry expression. "What the hell are you saying, BAKA!! It's not a funny

joke at all!" she yelled, frowning at him. He couldn't tell if she was red because of embarrassment or of irritation.

"I'm telling you the truth, baka. Why are you so hard-headed?" he muttered, quite irritated now.

He could feel that she was trying to calm herself down. She heaved a deep sigh. "So, why did you want to do it?"

He cleared his throat not expecting that she still had to ask to understand. _She sure is slow,_ he thought.

"Why do you think would a guy want to kiss a girl?" he instead asked her annoyingly.

"How would I know BAKA! Do you think I'm a guy?!" she yelled.

His irritation rose with her ignorance but he successfully managed not to match her temper.

"You're a running valedictorian and you don't know the answer for that simple thing?" It sounded sarcastic

which didn't help at all.

She closed her eyes hard then turned her back on him. "I'm going now."

She started to walk and he cursed himself. "Baka! Why don't you get it?"

She stopped and faced him again. She was about four steps away from him now and she looked frustrated which

surprised him. "It's embarrassing to admit but I . . . really don't get it."

He ran his fingers through his hair. He was making her frustrated and he didn't want that. This was it. It's time to tell

her.

"It's simple." He braced himself.

"I like you. Baka."

* * *

Haruhi's eyes widened with shock and mixed disbelief with what Tamaki just said. _What on earth is happening?_

She knew she looked profusely flushed. _He likes her? But that is unbelievable!_

She hated how her heartbeat was racing and how a part of her felt extremely delighted with what he said.

She looked at him and tried to find some humor in his face but his expression was dead serious. She didn't know

what to say. She could have sworn solving complex Calculus problems were more digestible than what Tamaki had

just told her.

"You . . . what. . . I . . ." she couldn't form anything. He was still looking at her intently. She didn't know what

made her do it, but the next thing she did was run as quick as she could, away from him.

"Fujioka!" she heard him shout. She continued to run and instead of going to the Bio Lab to check up on their

research study, she ran towards the dormitory. Her head was spinning and she couldn't make anything out of what

had happened. _Baka! Tamaki Suoh!_

* * *

That night in the dormitory, when they were about to sleep, Hinata suddenly spoke to her.

"Uhm, Haruhi, as I was walking towards here with Naruto after dismissal, uhm, Tamaki-kun suddenly

approached us."

She froze in her bed. Hinata was looking at her with a worried face.

"He was asking if you were just fine. Haruhi, did something happen?"

She cleared her throat and tried to laugh which clearly sounded exaggerated. "Of course, nothing happened." She

laughed again nervously. "Don't mind that moron."

Hinata looked unconvinced. "But he really looked worried a while ago. It was so unusual to see him like that."

She stopped laughing. _Was he really serious?_ _Did he really mean it?_

She shook her head, pretending like she really didn't know anything. Hinata nodded though still looked unconvinced

then lay down in bed. She sighed as she stared up the ceiling. _What on earth is really going on? _She instantly fell

asleep.


	16. Space out

16.) **Space out. . .**

"Haruhi, are you sure you're fine? You seem to be always spacing out these days and you also look like you're avoiding someone," Haruhi heard

Hinata asked her on their way to their next class. She looked at her friend and felt guilty to find her worried.

She faked a smile. "I'm fine, the research and school works are just so stressing."

She shouldn't be surprised that Hinata would notice her weird behavior. Hinata has been her friend for almost four years already, she should

know. After what Tamaki had said to her, she didn't know why but she just didn't want to be where he was. It was not because she didn't want to

see him. She just felt afraid finding that the alien feelings she feels whenever she's close to him got worse. Now, the proximity wasn't needed for

her to feel those weird things.

Tamaki was not helping at all, what with his smile and greetings whenever she fails to avoid his way. It was so unusual for her to see him smile

sweetly at her, she unconsciously space out every time he does it.

"If someone tells you "I like you", would you believe it Hinata?" she unconsciously blurted out and quickly regretted it.

Hinata looked at her, puzzled. "Someone confessed again to you, Haruhi?"

She just faked a grin and scratched her head. Hinata smiled. "It's not like this is your first time to hear someone that he likes you, you know. So,

what's the problem, Haruhi?"

She frowned. Hinata was talking about the guys who had approached her before and told her they liked her which she instantly rejected feeling

that they're just playing around.

"They weren't serious, you know," she childishly reasoned out which made Hinata laugh. _But it's not like he's serious,_ _too,_ she thought.

"How would you know that? You didn't even give them any chance to prove their sincerity."

She frowned and didn't like the topic now. "Nah, forget it." Hinata smiled.

"I don't know why you're so affected Haruhi, maybe it's the person who confessed that's bothering you. Is he the one you're avoiding? Do you like

him, too, Haruhi?"

She stopped and cast Hinata a scandalized look. "I d-don't. What's the connection if I also like the person?"

"You see, Haruhi, when you like someone who confesses to you, you're more affected to it than the confessions you get from just anybody else.

You're more affected because you want to believe it but at the same time, there's this doubt you feel since it's just too good to be true."

She frowned. _So that's what's happening to me, huh?_

"I heard someone say that _'To let true love remain unspoken is the quickest route to a heavy heart'_. So when you like someone, it's never wrong to

say it. It's not that I'm telling you what to do Haruhi, but avoiding that person would surely pain him in ways you couldn't imagine. Do you want

him to be hurt?"

She sighed. "Of course not."

"Just be yourself and stop spacing out, okay?" Hinata teased her, smiling.

She tried to smile back. _How I wish it's just that easy, _she thought.

* * *

It was dismissal time already and Haruhi was left alone since Hinata and Naruto had works to do. She walked her way unconsciously slower than

normal towards her dormitory. She was starting to hate all she's feeling, all the spacing out and stuffs. She was still musing about what Hinata

had told her and it rankled her inside. _Is she really hurting Tamaki with her avoidance? Did the moron even notice that she was avoiding her? _

"Haruhi, are you fine?" she suddenly heard someone speak and looked ahead. She was stopped on her track seeing the twins before her. She

cleared her throat and avoided looking at Tamaki.

"You look problematic, is there any problem, Haruhi?" Naoki added and approached her. She quickly shook her head.

"Nah, nothing. Just busy doing projects and our research and the periodical exams are fast approaching," she gushed. Of all the people she would

meet, why the twins? She quickly scanned the place and was relieved to find no girls peeping behind the bushes. Seems like they didn't know that

their two princes were there.

"Seems like a bad time. I wanted to go ask you out tonight but maybe it's better for you to rest now," Naoki said then smiled.

"Ow," was all she could muster.

"It's good to have fun for a while, too. Why don't you continue your plan and release your stress?" she suddenly heard Tamaki suggest. She

looked at him and found him looking at her, grinning. She saw something in his face for a split second then it vanished. Did she really see him

wince? Or was it just her imagination?

She continued to look at him but it was him that was avoiding now, scanning the place like looking for something.

"So, what do you think Haruhi? We going?" Naoki's smiling face abruptly distracted her. She looked at him and was confused on what to reply. For

the very first time, she wanted to reject his offer.

"You're coming too?" she involuntarily blurted out pertaining to Tamaki who looked surprised with her asking.

He looked at her, shook his head then grinned. "Have to study else I'm gonna fail the exams. Anyway, you'll be more comfortable without me

there."

Her heart sank. She suddenly felt he was just making an excuse. _When did he ever chose studies over fun? And comfortable without him there? So, he_

_ noticed that I was avoiding him and concluded wrongly about it._

"I'll fetch you by seven then?" Naoki delightfully asked and she wondered why Naoki didn't find his twin's answer unbelievable.

She glanced at Tamaki who looked away then almost sighed. "Yeah. Seven it is."

"Hey Fujioka," she froze when Tamaki called her as she quickly started to walk away when Naoki already left. She looked at him and blurted out an

irritated "What?" to hide her nervousness when he doesn't call her Baka.

"You going tomorrow?"

She mused first before realizing that he was talking about the tutorials. It was Friday, she remembered. "Yeah."

He frowned and she almost gasped seeing how he still looked carelessly handsome. "Thought you wouldn't since it's like you've done all you can

to hide from me these days."

She suddenly felt something hard stuck on her throat. It was clear that he was upset. She looked down not managing to return his gaze.

"I know that it's because of what I told you," he continued, looking at her intently. She suddenly wanted to melt to avoid the conversation.

"If it makes you uncomfortable, then just forget that I said it. I'd rather have you shouting at me than not talk to me at all. It's much better than

nothing at all."

She looked at him and saw that he was still frowning. Why couldn't she tell him how dazzling his upset face was? How nervous she was to be just

with him right now? How fast her heart was beating right that moment and that it was all because of him?

"You're unfair," he suddenly blurted out and he sounded childlike. "Naoki tells you he likes you and even obviously expresses it and you're just fine

with it. I tell you I like you and you scamper in fear, avoiding me like I'm some kind of a pest."

She couldn't believe that she would actually hear him complain with the way she treats both of them. To hear him demand for her attention. It was

too good to be true.

She heard him heave a deep sigh. "Anyway, don't overwork yourself. And enjoy tonight." He turned his back to walk away with his hands on his

pocket making him so cool to look at.

She cleared her throat. He was walking away now and she still couldn't say anything. _Tell him!_, her mind shouted.

Two steps away, three, four. . . and she quickly forgot all her hesitation and just spoke what she wanted him to know.

"I-I don't see you like a pest! And I-I'm not afraid of you." She saw him stopped and took some more seconds before facing her. She could feel all

her blood rush to her face feeling like she already revealed what she feels even if it was yet too far from a confession.

He looked at her for like forever and smiled. She absolutely knew that she would melt then and there. The alien feelings seemed to go wild like

they've been ceased for so many decades and were already out of control with just his smile.

He breathed in deeply. "That is such a relieving thing to know, Fujioka," he said smiling and she couldn't trace any sarcasm in his tone. He was

irritatingly handsome. "As long as you continue being you when you're with me, that's already enough."

He looked at her longer before walking away. And unsurprisingly, she spaced out.

-end-


	17. A Bittersweet day

17.)

Haruhi consciously walked her way inside the Suoh house. It was Saturday already and their grading test was fast approaching. She had reached

the living room and found it empty. She hated that she was actually feeling nervous to see the moron now but also anxious at the same time.

After everything he had confessed, she still couldn't say anything about her feelings. She had truly released her stress with Naoki the other day

but felt guilty feeling incomplete without the moron with them that time.

She heard footsteps coming from behind her and expecting that it was Tamaki, she had a hard time to look back. It was a smiling Megumi after all,

the young maid she had befriended. She quickly smiled at her and the maid smiled back. It was foolish to feel relieved knowing that she still was

going to see him any moment then.

"I think Master Tamaki is in the Music Room, Haruhi," Megumi informed her. She was surprised_. So, they also have a Music Room?_ The moron was

such a rich bastard. Naoki had already told her that he wasn't going to be around since he had to attend something concerning his research

study.

Megumi led her to the Music Room and when they were near there, the maid stopped and spoke. "I have to tell you something, Haruhi." Haruhi

looked at her, wondering what she was going to say since the young maid looked nervous.

"I want to apologize for being such a pryer," Megumi continued. She frowned. "Why? What are you talking about Megumi?"

Megumi bit her lip and looked at her guiltily. "Do you remember the note you left in the living room before?"

She mused for a moment then understood what she meant. "Yeah? What about that one?"

Megumi heaved a deep sigh before speaking. "I changed the note you left."

She blinked hard, finally comprehending the moron's action after she left the note. She saw Megumi's guilty face and she tried to smile to lighten

her up. "Don't worry. I mean. . . it's already happened and it's caused no casualties as far as I can remember." She secretly smiled remembering

how Tamaki confronted him with the attraction-repulsion thought he had.

"I just find the two of you really cute together. And I don't know if you noticed anything Haruhi but ever since Master Tamaki met you, he's

changed a lot," Megumi's eyes were literally sparkling with romance.

She tried to smile, unable to decide how to react.

"Though Master Tamaki acts all grumpy with Haruhi, I can really say that he's happy when he's with you. I actually concluded that he likes Haruhi,"

Megumi added, feeling more delighted.

She froze and cleared her throat. She found it weird to conclude such thing seeing how Tamaki acts around her before. "You really had that

conclusion?" she grinned, finding it hilarious.

"What conclusion?"

Both of them turned back to see which of the twin had spoken. It was Tamaki with a curious expression. She hated how he made her feel

nervous.

She saw Megumi looked startled seeing her master and quickly excused herself from them. Tamaki's expression was puzzled.

"I thought you were in your Music Room," she tried to sound as casual as she could to avoid what he asked a while ago.

He nodded. "I went to the comfort room." She nodded, not looking at him. "So, what conclusion were you talking about?"

She quickly thought of a way out and looked at him irritatingly. "Don't you think that you're actually prying? Minding things that you're not involved

with?"

Surprisingly, he just grinned and dropped it. "Okay. So, should we start the tutorials now?" he suddenly asked and she was surprised to find him

so enthusiastic about it.

"W-why are you so enthusiastic about it?" she couldn't help and inquired, stammering as she saw his face shine with eagerness making it more

charming.

"If we finish early, I have something to show to you," he explained, smiling.

_Dub, dub, dub_. She cursed him secretly for the feelings that his smile gives her. "Okay," was all she managed to mutter.

* * *

"What are you so eager to show to me?" Haruhi inquired as they were heading to back to the Music Room since they had their tutorials in the

living room. Tamaki surprisingly understood all she taught him quickly. He seemed really determined to show her something. It was already

making her very curious.

Tamaki who was ahead of her, glanced back smiling. "I'm not actually gonna show a thing to you. Just wait and you'll know."

They entered the Suoh's music room and it was really wide and filled with musical instruments. The one in the center was a grand piano. A very

undeniably expensive looking piano.

"You know how to play all of these instruments?" she said, apparently amazed. He grinned. "What's the use of having them if we don't?"

She frowned seeing him brag and he just grinned. He sat on the piano seat and she stood beside the piano, looking at him as he placed his

fingers over the piano keys but not pressing any yet.

"This is what I want to show to you," he said, looking at her. "I'm gonna play something and I want you to listen."

He was actually commanding her which made her frown. "Why do you want me to listen to it?"

He suddenly laughed nervously which surprised her. "I've never really. . . let any girl hear me play piano before. Anyone but in my family because.

. . well, never mind that. I just want you to hear me play."

She almost choked. This was his first time to play not for his family! "Er, I-It wouldn't be bad to hear it." He just smiled and her heart went

abnormal again.

He quickly ran his fingers through the piano keys and she quickly recognized what song he was playing. She froze. It was her favorite song. "Out

of my league". Her heart went hammering wildly again. It didn't help that he was so amazing to look at seeing his fingers move in great ease

pressing the keys down giving life to the song.

She caught herself still looking at him even if the song was already done. He was looking at her too, smiling. She was hyperventilating and quickly

clapped her hands to hide her embarrassment for getting caught staring. "A-amazing! Amazing!"

Surprisingly, he frowned. "You look like you're just forced to say that."

She grinned nervously, not minding what he said. "I'm just wondering why you chose to play that song."

"Ow, that song. Well, I kind of really like it," he replied and sounded like it was embarrassing. _He likes it too, what a coincidence_, she thought and

suddenly felt eccentric knowing it.

"I kind of relate to it, these days, you know. Being out of your league because of someone," he suddenly added, grinning. He was looking down

at the piano keys then looked at her.

She was so sure that she was blushing. She looked at him and she realized that she actually hoped for time to stand still that moment.

"Though I don't think the feeling's mutual, I still like the song though," he suddenly added as he veered away. She cleared her throat wanting to

shout already what she felt that moment. He moved slightly creating more space from the seat.

"You want to play?" inviting her to sit, too.

She hated herself for still keeping everything to herself. She nodded and smiled. "Sure. Only if you'd teach me."

And both of them didn't know how each wanted that moment to never end.

* * *

"Haruhi!" Naoki delightedly greeted Haruhi. He had just arrived from his school. She smiled at him, seeing how his face brightens up when he sees

her. She still wonders why, though.

Naoki then told her about his research and other things. Tamaki went to his room directly when Naoki arrived and she actually felt like he was

giving her some time alone with Naoki which made her frown. _Baka_, she thought sourly.

She suddenly remembered something. "Uhm, Naoki, do you also play the piano in your Music Room?"

He looked surprised. "Uhm, yeah. You went to the Music Room?"

She suddenly hesitated to nod seeing Naoki's obvious surprise. "Yeah."

"Were you with Tamaki? He played the piano?" She nodded again and now felt like it was wrong to open such topic.

He mused for a while then grinned. "That's really weird you know."

She wondered. "Why?"

"Did Tamaki tell you that he only plays for the family? Even Kanoya didn't know that he knows how to play."

She was surprised. _Even Kanoya his girlfriend for two years didn't know? _She just nodded not knowing what else to say.

"Well, you see, Tamaki only plays for those people who are . . . special for him."

She felt her heart missed a beat but was successful to act normal. "R-really? Well, h-he really plays well. He shouldn't limit his talent to just few

people."

After successfully changing the topic, she thought Naoki would forget Tamaki's playing for her. But he suddenly spoke and there was something

weird in his expression. "I just suddenly realized something, Haruhi. If Tamaki played to you, then, doesn't that mean that . . .Haruhi must be

special? Right?"

She could only fake a grin out of nothing to say. Naoki smiled sweetly at her though she suddenly felt it was half-hearted. "Just forget about it."

And for the very first time, she thought she actually heard Naoki sound bitter.

-end-


	18. Feelings unhidden

18.)

"Who do you think is the third party Haruhi?" Haruhi heard Hinata curiously ask her. Hinata's voice rose above all the voices in their campus

canteen. Hinata and the other students in the campus still can't get over the current break-up of the should-have-been perfect couple there. She

cleared her throat. "I have no idea."

Hinata gave her a meaningful look. "Lately, I see that Tamaki-sama's treatment towards you had changed Haruhi. Could it somehow be related

with this? Could you possibly be the girl who luckily captured Tamaki-sama's heart?"

She suddenly felt the dryness of her throat and looked for Naruto's presence to divert her friend's attention. She tried to answer in a convincing

tone. "I'm tired of that rubbish Hinata, okay."

She remembered those times before when Hinata would tell her about how perfect she and Tamaki was to look at and how Tamaki had

developed feelings for her. She would just easily laugh at those things before thinking it was ridiculous and extremely impossible. Now, the

impossible had unexpectedly happened.

"I just thought that you're the only girl who's perfect to be paired with Tamaki-sama aside from Kanoya. And besides, I'm not the only one who

had noticed Tamaki's behavior towards you these past few days. Even Naruto and our other classmates and even those gossip girls there,"

Hinata reasoned out, glancing at the direction of the bunch of girls sitting not far away from them. The girls are actually eyeing her intently which

made her frown. She focused her gaze on her fruit juice.

The canteen suddenly became noisier mostly because of the gossip girls. She then learned that it was because their idol had entered the

canteen. A fresh, looking Tamaki Suoh together with his other cool friend Kyouya were talking looking absolutely carefree as they walked their

way to the food station.

She suddenly felt heavy. How could someone like that guy who could easily catch every girl's attention there without so much as doing anything

actually like her? If those gossip girls get to know what he confessed to her, they would most likely think it hilarious and absurd for him to feel

such thing. She was distracted from her thoughts when she heard Hinata murmur something with a delighted expression.

"She's looking your way Haruhi!" she followed Hinata's gaze and found Tamaki quickly glancing away when she looked. She suddenly felt

butterflies in her stomach catching him looking her way.

"I knew it! I knew it! He likes you, Haruhi!!" Hinata was actually giggling so hard. She fought the blush that was about to show and frowned.

"Why don't we just get out of here? I could actually feel the murderous stares from that bunch of girls there."

Hinata was smiling so widely now. "Okay. But I'd want to make an experiment to make sure that what I'm thinking is right. If Tamaki goes directly

out of the canteen without approaching you, then I'd drop my theory. But if he approaches you, then I know it's undeniably true!"

She groaned. "Whatever Hinata." She was sure that Tamaki would not approach her. Why would he?

"There he goes. You just watch Haruhi." Hinata said confidently. She just propped her right elbow on the table and rested her head on it waiting

to see disappointment on her friend's face.

She saw from the corner of her eyes the two figures getting out of the canteen and just as what she had expected, Hinata was absolutely

disappointed. Though she slightly hoped too that Tamaki would approach her even if he had no reason at all, she found it more convenient that

Hinata failed her so called experiment.

"See? Let's go now." She stood up and Hinata couldn't do anything but to stand up looking as frustrated as ever.

* * *

"Stop glancing dude. Really now, I thought she was avoiding you because of what you told her. If you keep looking at her then aren't you giving

her a reason to avoid you more?" Tamaki heard Kyouya spoke, looking at him with a frown. They were now paying their snacks from the counter.

He didn't need to be reminded but he just couldn't stop glancing at her direction though it only gives him disappointment seeing that she's not

looking his way.

"Just act normally with her like you do before, okay? That way, she wouldn't be uncomfortable around you and won't avoid you."

He nodded like a submissive child being directed by his parent. They were going out of the canteen now and his feet felt like lead, not wanting to

go without approaching her. He successfully went out of the canteen with Kyouya.

He noticed Kyouya looking quite amused with him. "Dude, stop putting on that pained expression. It really doesn't look cool on you."

"I'm not trying to look cool right now," he said low-spiritedly and stopped walking. Kyouya also stopped looking as amused as ever. "Why don't

you approach her then if that would satisfy you?"

He groaned. He knew he shouldn't, knowing it wasn't his normal behavior towards her and that it might just make her avoid him again. They were

still near the canteen and he unwillingly decided to continue walking but stopped again when he suddenly heard her voice and found her walking

exactly out of the canteen with her friend Hinata.

And he didn't know how but the next thing he knew was he was already walking towards the two girls. The two instantly noticed him and he saw

her clear her throat looking nervous while her friend was looking at her meaningfully.

"Fujioka," he called trying to sound as nonchalant as he could. He noticed that her hairclip actually made her look prettier. _Stop it, baka!_ he

shouted internally finding his sudden awareness of the little things about her ridiculous.

"Hey," he heard her say. And then the problem instantly dawned on him. Why did he approach her? He didn't have any reason at all. His mind

was suddenly struggling to form an excuse for calling her attention.

"I just want to remind you that this coming Saturday, we won't meet for tutorials," he started blabbering acting like it was really what he wanted to say in the first place.

She looked at him with a confused expression and he wasn't surprised since she was actually the one who told him about not meeting for

tutorials since their periodical exams were fast approaching and she also needed time to study. It would surely look weird for him to remind her of

what she, herself, had told him. But to his great relief, she just nodded and he wondered seeing an amused look on her face.

"I am CERTAIN that I won't forget that," she said with a meaningful tone only he had understood. She still had that amused expression. "Was

that all you wanted to say?"

He nodded and grinned which he didn't know, made her heartbeat double skip. "Good." Then he went his way back with a very wide and satisfied

smile to Kyouya who couldn't help shaking his head with amusement.

* * *

Haruhi couldn't understand why she suddenly felt her day complete just because of Hinata's experiment. He really approached her and with no

particular reason at all. She was really amused seeing him talk casually though he knew that she knew him reminding her was just an excuse.

She smiled unconsciously.

"You look so inspired today, Haruhi!" she suddenly remembered that she was with Hinata on their way to their dormitory. They were still near the

campus gym and there were still students there who were playing different kinds of sports. Hinata was looking at her with a meaningful glance.

She smiled. "I just got perfect in our third long test in Biology."

Hinata arched her eyebrows, still with a meaningful expression. "But don't you always get perfect?"

She just smiled. "I wonder if your happy mood has got something to do with my successful experiment," Hinata continued, teasing her.

She tried to keep a casual expression and shook her head.

"Two days from now, Haruhi, it's going to be Valentine's day. Have you decided whom you'll give chocolates to?" Hinata suddenly asked, clearly

still not dropping her teasing tone.

She was surprised to forget that Valentine's Day was also approaching and that it was just two days from now.

Hinata noticed her surprised face and laughed. "Don't tell me you forgot?"

She nodded and somehow felt embarrassed. It was a tradition for the girls to give chocolates to their special persons and since the beginning of

her schooling there, she had never given chocolates to any guy before. She would only make some chocolates only to share it with Hinata or her

other friends. She suddenly felt weird feeling that there was a part of her who wanted to give a chocolate for the moron. she tried to ignore such

feeling and distracted herself with the noises coming from the gym and took a quick look there only to find him playing basketball with his friends.

Girls were cheering there for him. She even saw Kanoya, though not cheering along, still watching him play. Surely, on Valentine's Day, he would

receive many chocolates from many girls who fancy him. And to think, almost all of the girls there have a crush on him. He would surely have a

mountainous pile of chocolates on that day. She frowned. _Why did I even think of making one for him? It wouldn't matter after all._

Hinata suddenly spoke. "You know Haruhi, I realized that even if a guy receives many chocolates from other girls, it wouldn't be as special as it is

if the one who gives it is the one he likes."

She was dumbstruck as she looked at her friend. It was just like Hinata had read her mind. Hinata smiled sweetly at her. "Let's make chocolates

together, okay?"

Though still puzzled, she nodded and realized that it does matter after all.

* * *

**lanalane17**: yippee!! One more chapter to go before the story ends . . . hope you'll continue reading and please review!


	19. Chapter 19

19.)

Naoki sighed. He was comfortably tucked on his bed yet he didn't feel like sleeping at all. Tomorrow was already Valentine's Day and his

school considered it as a holiday. Ouran High would have Valentine's Day activities tomorrow and students from other schools were free to

come.

He had nothing else to do that day except to go to his twin's school just to enjoy Valentine's Day and to see her. Haruhi Fujioka. The girl

who's been constantly running on his mind ever since he first met her.

He sighed for the millionth time. He knew he was doing the wrong thing. And the wrong thing was to continue spending time with her.

He knew everything. He knew how his twin secretly likes the girl and how the girl also feels the same way. He was the one who saw the two

at the garden during the School Dance yet he acted like he knew nothing at all. He knew not if the two had really kissed and he didn't want

to know in the first place.

He wanted to believe that maybe the girl also likes him since she always accepts his invitation to go out but he knew it too well. He could

feel nothing special with the way she treats him. He couldn't see her look nervous when he comes nearer or have a different spark in her

eyes when he's around. And that truth stung him. The truth that all of those things, he sees whenever his twin was around her.

He had always been the better half. Almost everyone in their family regarded him as that. And never had he wanted to compete with his

twin with anything. Until now. Now that his twin has something that he couldn't easily achieve. He shook his head and grinned sadly.

Maybe it was time to give up though another part of him, a bigger part, violently revolted. He had never felt anything to any girl before like

the way she makes him feel. And giving her up was something very difficult for him to do. Imagining her with his twin, holding hands, it was

already breaking him. What more if he could really see it personally?

He closed his eyes and he saw her face again. _Why can't it be me? What should I do so you'd choose me?_

He mused for a while then opened his eyes again. Tomorrow, he knew already what to do.

* * *

Tamaki sat lazily on the comfy seat of their living room. It was past nine but he didn't know why he was feeling nervous for tomorrow. His

twin, Naoki, had already gone to bed. Naoki was going to his school to celebrate Valentine's Day and obviously to spend the occasion with

Haruhi. A fact which maybe the reason why he felt so troubled that moment.

He groaned. He knew that Naoki would surely get a chocolate from Haruhi and he knew deep inside, receiving a chocolate from her would

redoubtably make that day perfect for him though he knew it was impossible. He glanced at his cell phone on his hand suddenly feeling the

urge to call her. He knew it was an apparently stupid thing to do knowing that he didn't really have any reason to do so but that he just

wanted to hear her voice. And she would most possibly not answer his call not knowing who's calling her since she most probably doesn't

have his number. He just continued to stare at it unable to think of other things to do. Suddenly, his cell rang.

He almost dropped it in his great surprise. He quickly looked at the name of the caller and froze as his mind tried to digest the name for

several times, failing to make it register.

Haruhi Fujioka.

_Why on earth would she call me in this time of the night? And how did she get my number?_

He pressed the answer button and didn't fail to notice his finger shaking awfully. He waited.

"Hello?" he heard from the other line. It was her voice which was enough to instantly make him feel hilariously nervous. Lucky there was no

one else around there or they might instantly see his uneasiness.

"H-hello Fujioka," he bit his lip for stammering a bit. It took several seconds before she replied and it seemed like she sounded nervous like

him.

"Did I disturb you or something?"

He unconsciously ran his hand through his hair and shifted position on his seat. "No, you didn't." A very quick response he realized.

"Er . . that's good then. . .," she replied and he waited for her to continue. "Well, you see, I have this friend who . . . well, she wanted to uhm

. . . know some things about you and she asked me to ask you since she kinda feel shy in doing it herself."

"Oh," he actually failed to hide his disappointment. _So, she's calling to help a friend of hers? Just great. Very noble of her._

He suddenly heard her laugh from the other line and she still sounded nervous. "I know it's really ridiculous but you see, she's a great friend

of mine so I really want to help her. But if you . . . don't want to, then I won't . . force you."

_If only that friend of yours is really you. What an answered prayer it would be. _"I understand. So, what did she want to know about?"

She quickly responded and he was surprised to hear some enthusiasm in her voice. "Well, she wanted to know your favorite color, favorite

number, anything as long as you like them."

He suddenly felt awkward telling her his favorites. "Well, I kind of like the color red and well, obviously, I like basketball and soccer." He

managed to mention other things that he likes until he ran out of things to say.

"Well, that's just about it," he was actually still thinking of some more things to share to extend their talk.

"Oh. Well, these things are already a lot," he heard amusement in her tone and imagined her smiling.

He suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot, I also like playing Rubik's cube."

"Really? Well, I'll add that to my list —I-I m-mean my friend's list but apparently I'm the one listing this so it's still right to call it my list. Right?"

He actually found it weird for Haruhi to be so defensive about such a small thing. "Yeah. So . . ." he didn't know what to say next. _Think!_

_ Think!_

"So . . . I guess that's it. I should . . we should get some sleep now," she suddenly said.

Though unwilling, he nodded and realizing that she couldn't see it murmured a weak 'Yeah.'

"Uhm . . . thanks by the way and . . . advance happy Valentine's Day Tamaki. Bye, " and she quickly ended the call leaving him unable to say

bye. She just called and asked him all about his favorites though it was really for her friends' sake. She even greeted her happy Valentine's

first! It was all like a dream and he suddenly stupidly pinched his cheeks hard trying to make sure he was wide awake. He was unconsciously

smiling widely to himself looking like a fool. He stood up, still with that floating feeling when he suddenly heard some footsteps coming from

behind him. It was their young maid, Megumi, catching him smiling foolishly.

"You look inspired, Master Tamaki," the young maid said, smiling.

He couldn't help smiling widely, scratching his head. "I am inspired," and he bubbly went upstairs, humming the "Out of my league" tune.

* * *

"Who did you talk to Haruhi?" she heard Hinata inquire the moment she opened the kitchen door. They were just about to make some

chocolates for tomorrow when she suddenly and most surprisingly decided to call Tamaki secretly and went out. She wanted to know some

things about him which maybe could help her make a chocolate especially made just for him. Megumi, the young maid in the Suoh house gave

her Tamaki's cell number and she had a thought that maybe Megumi thought she would need it someday. She couldn't help thinking if the

moron had any inkling that she might also feel the same way with the call she just made and frowned remembering him saying things like it

was just impossible for her to feel the same way. _Baka_, she thought, irritated with his absurd way of thinking.

"Haruhi, is there something wrong?" she heard Hinata's concerned voice distracting her from her thoughts. She quickly shook her head and

smiled. "Nah, just remembered something annoying."

Hinata nodded and smiled too. "Then, let's start making chocolates now!"

She nodded.

"You know, Haruhi, I've always thought about that first boy whom you'll give your made chocolate to. You always just make chocolates for

us, your friends every Valentine's Day and you've never given any particular guy before," Hinata suddenly spoke when they were almost

finished making the chocolates and added in a teasing tone, "I wonder if that has changed now."

She looked at her friend and blurted out what she was thinking the past days.

"How do you confess to someone you like, Hinata? I mean. . . well, you didn't really confess to Naruto but I just. . .well, I was just curious. .

I-it's not like I'm gonna do it or something."

She felt embarrassed asking such question but she was just truly curious on how other girls talk about their confessions to someone they

like. She actually saw some of those confessions in movies and actually found it deeply troubling and thought that those girls were losers.

Hinata faced her with a wide smile. "You're right, Haruhi. I never really tried that thing but whenever I think about girls confessing their

feelings to someone they like, I couldn't help but admire they're courage to say what they really feel. At least, they didn't waste any chance

to let those people know that they are special. I don't really know how, Haruhi, but maybe, it just happens. Isn't it amazing if it just happens

suddenly without any planning at all? When you just say what you want to say to that special person?"

She suddenly felt down. Hinata was right. Those girls were actually admirable to be so bold to confess what they feel not knowing whether it

would turn out good or otherwise. She was actually the loser, hiding what she feels, making him feel like he's just someone ordinary. She

wouldn't blame him if he suddenly loses what he feels for her someday. She suddenly found it hard to breathe having such thought and

unconsciously shook her head promptly.

"Are you gonna confess to someone Haruhi? Who's the lucky guy?" she suddenly heard Hinata ask with a curious expression. She violently

shook her head but Hinata ignored it.

"Could it possibly be. . .. Naoki?"

She was surprised. "I-I never really thought of Naoki."

"Really? But Naoki's the closest guy to you that I know you'd possibly like," Hinata spoke with an amused tone. She mused for a while. _The_

_ only guy I could possibly like? It's surprising that Hinata isn't pairing me with Tamaki now._

"I'd like to think that it's Tamaki-sama but I know that that would be impossible," Hinata added still with an amused tone.

"Why —"

"And I realized, you and Naoki look much better together."

"R-really?" and she didn't know if she hid the disappointment in her tone.

"Why? Do you think otherwise, Haruhi?" and there was some sort of victory in Hinata's voice with an expectant expression. _What was Hinata_

_ expecting her to say?_

She cleared her throat and tried not to revolt. "Nah. I guess you're right." Hinata looked disappointed then just smiled at her. She still

couldn't admit it. _Loser_, and she could only sigh in frustration.


	20. It's Valentine's Day!

**lanalane17:** Finally! this is the last chapter! Sorry for the late update. . been very busy with school stuffs. . anyway. . .hope you like how I ended this one. . . I really don't know how to make nice endings. . .and thanks to those who continued reviewing and reading this first story of mine!!!Thanks a lot!!!

* * *

20.) **It's Valentine's Day!!**

"Whoa! The girls are sure hyper today," Haruhi amazingly uttered seeing the girls in their campus act like

children with ADHD, looking for someone they would give their chocolates to. It was already 4 in the afternoon

and the people looked like they really prepared their energy for that day since they were still as energetic as

ever participating in the activities there and everything. Their campus was overly decorated with many

Valentine's associated materials that she actually almost didn't recognize it. She couldn't see any place without

visible hearts on the walls and it seemed like all of the students' are perfectly paired up and suddenly became

lovers just for the sake of that day. She couldn't help grinning seeing the girls give their chocolates to the guys.

She suddenly remembered the chocolates she made and tapped her bag, trying to check if she had brought it.

She had already given Hinata a chocolate and her friend was so delighted for it.

"So you want to go to that place now Hinata?" she suddenly heard Naruto's voice talking to Hinata. Hinata,

who was blushing profusely, nodded and smiled. She could actually feel the love emanating from the two and

suddenly felt awkward being the third wheel realizing that she had spent the entire morning with the two. It

was so dense of her not to give the two some private time with each other.

"Er. . . I forgot, I've got to do something for the Student Council today. I have to go, Hinata, Naruto. See yah

later!" she quickly gushed and walked hastily knowing that the two won't let her go. She knew that they just

didn't want her to feel alone but she didn't want to disturb them too. After running for quite a long distance,

she decided to stop and realized that she reached a place near the campus park.

She wasn't surprised to see more lovers grouped in there looking like they couldn't ask for more than that

moment. She just stood there for awhile, unable to decide what to do next then decided to sit under one of the

trees in the park which was slightly hidden from the people's view there. She suddenly remembered Tamaki

and wondered where the moron was that time since she hasn't seen him that morning. She grinned realizing

that the thought of giving him her chocolate was making her feel nervous.

She was wearing that expression when she noticed someone standing beside her place.

"How come a pretty girl like you is actually alone today?"

She looked up and smiled. "Naoki!" She saw Naoki that morning trapped with a bunch of girls, each one trying

to be the first to give him a chocolate. He sat down beside her and she noticed the bag (just like what Santa

Claus carries) Naoki was bringing with him. She grinned widely realizing what the bag contained.

"Those sure are a lot of chocolates for one day."

He laughed and he looked more adorable than ever. "Well, I was expecting you'd help me with these."

She shook her head, grinning. "Those are your chocolates, they're made for you. You can't just give it to

someone else."

He stared at her, still smiling sweetly but she noticed a hint of sadness in his eyes. "You look really beautiful

today."

She instantly blushed. "I'm just in my typical look right now, you know. Quit teasing me Naoki," she murmured

frowning and punched him lightly in the arm.

"I'm not teasing you. You are beautiful."

She stopped and looked at Naoki. He was looking at her intently. She looked away and fixed her gaze at the

grasses on the ground.

"Well, maybe you need some glasses now Naoki. You don't see people clearly," she spoke, grinning.

He laughed. "Well, I don't really see other people clearly. I wonder why. Maybe because all I see is you. And I

see you clearly, Haruhi."

She quickly looked at Naoki. He looked sad and she wondered. He looked at her then to the ground then back

at her. She felt his hesitation to say something. "I-I . . . like you Haruhi."

Her eyes widened and the words kept ringing in her head. She couldn't digest it. She felt all her blood rushed

to her face and looked at Naoki unbelievably. It was the first time she heard him say it. All of her other friends

say that he likes her but she never wanted to put any meaning on his treatment towards her.

"Er. . . what?!"

Naoki smiled, still looking at her. "I like you Haruhi. I'm surprised that it still shocked you to know that. I

thought it was already obvious."

She scratched her head, not knowing what to do. "I-I d-didn't want to put any meaning on it. I mean. . . I don't

want to be so presumptuous."

"Even if you put some meaning on it, Haruhi, they couldn't blame you 'cause it's already so obvious. Maybe, you

just . . . didn't want to accept it. My feelings, that is," he spoke and it actually broke her heart hearing his voice

sound broken. She looked away.

She felt heavy. She didn't want Naoki to be sad and now, it was all because of her. There is no girl in her right

mind that would actually not find Naoki perfect to be with. His feelings, she so much wanted to accept it. But

not when all she could think about was his twin.

"I-I really. . don't know what to say Naoki. You know that you're a great guy and it would be very foolish for a

girl to let you go. But —" she couldn't finish what she wanted to say.

"But you're letting me go, right now? Are you trying to say that you're foolish?" he suddenly teased. She

grinned half-heartedly.

"I-I . . . like someone, Naoki," she actually managed to say and surprisingly, it lightened her up a bit. Accepting

her feelings.

"I know." She quickly looked at Naoki, not expecting his reply. His gaze was fixed on the ground. "You know?"

"Tamaki." She stared at him still not over that he had her feelings busted.

"I knew but I foolishly wished it wasn't true. I wished it would fade," Naoki smiled a broken one and added,

"Guess my wish wasn't granted."

"I-I'm s-sorry, Naoki," she hated that it was all she could say. He just smiled.

"It's not your fault. But maybe, a chocolate would lighten me up."

She suddenly remembered something and quickly rummaged her bag. "Here! Eat this! I made one for you

Naoki!"

Naoki smiled getting the chocolate she handed. "Thanks." She nodded and smiled. At least, she could try to

lighten up Naoki's depression a bit with her chocolate.

"Don't you have any chocolate for him?" Naoki suddenly asked before taking a bite on the chocolate. She

mused for a while before realizing who he was talking about.

"Oh. I haven't seen him since this morning . . . so, I don't know how I could give this to him," she felt slightly

embarrassed talking about Tamaki with Naoki, knowing that it was unavoidable to hurt Naoki's feelings.

"I think he's in the soccer field right now," he suddenly informed her.

"Really? Well, then, but . . . is it okay if I . . it would look like I'm trying to . .chase him," she stammered,

confused on whether to go to the soccer field or not.

Naoki suddenly laughed. "Just go there, okay."

She grinned and stood up. "Thanks Naoki. I'll come back after giving him the chocolate," she said.

"Don't bother. I'll go home after I finish eating this," Naoki replied, grinning. She smiled finding Naoki already

looking fine and started to walk away.

Naoki smiled a weak smile seeing Haruhi walk away. He heaved a deep sigh. "Honestly. . . I'll just be right here

waiting." And he took another bite.

* * *

Haruhi walked briskly towards the soccer field noticing that there were only a few students around in the

campus already. She wondered if the moron had already gone home. She frowned and was somehow

disappointed that he doesn't look enthusiastic to receive something from her and that he wasn't looking for her

at all. But then, he doesn't have any idea that she was giving him something after all.

After walking quite a distance, she then saw him standing near the soccer field. She was about to walk

towards him when she noticed that he wasn't alone. Kanoya was there. She saw Kanoya hand him a

chocolate. She suddenly felt nervous and she hated it. _It's just a chocolate. There's nothing to it_, she told

herself.

She decided to go to him after Kanoya leaves but then something changed her mind instantly. The moment the

two embraced each other, she knew what to do next. And that was to walk away.

* * *

Tamaki felt relieved as he now hugged Kanoya. Now, the girl finally accepted that it would never work out

again. They broke free of each other when he noticed someone familiar not far from them walking away. It was

Haruhi.

He quickly excused himself from Kanoya and ran after the girl. He hadn't seen her the whole morning and it was

stupid how anxious he was already to have a small talk with her finding that she wasn't with his twin.

The girl seemed innocent that he was following her. She almost tripped on a stone which made him grin seeing

her clumsiness. The girl stopped and kicked the stone a couple of times which suddenly made him think that

something was wrong. He decided to show up.

"Could you tell me what the stone did to you so you would violently kick it to death?" he started and waited for

her to turn around. She turned around with an overly annoyed expression.

"It's none of your business."

He wondered more on what had made her so irritated. "I'd still want to know."

She just looked at him, still with knitted eyebrows. He frowned. "Why are you alone right now? Shouldn't you

be with Naoki?"

She grinned sarcastically which surprised him. But what she replied surprised him more. "Now you say that so

casually just because you've made up with Kanoya, huh."

He couldn't stop himself from grinning. "You should know that you sounded jealous saying that." He looked at

her and found her brows more knitted than before. "And you're wrong. We didn't make up. She just gave me

her made chocolate and told me she's accepted everything already. We're now friends."

She looked at him and looked suddenly embarrassed. He laughed when a thought struck him. "Was that why

you were kicking that stone to death? Because you thought we made up?" he teased. He was surprised to see

her blush and opened her mouth to reply but he quickly added with a fake grin, "Don't worry. I know that's

impossible."

She looked at him again, now looking confused. _What is wrong with her?_ It was killing him to know what was

bothering her.

He tried to guess the closest thing that he thought would bother her. "Did. . . Naoki leave you?" the thought

that it was the reason that she was bothered made him depressed but he didn't show it.

She quickly shook her head. "Yeah. He went home but I was really looking for you."

He was caught offguard and his heartbeat instantly went erratic. _Why would she look for me? Baka! What am I _

_suddenly getting nervous for!_

"Why? You planning to give me a chocolate?" he teased to hide his nervousness again. He found his heartbeat

more erratic when the girl started to look for something in her bag. _Was it a chocolate?_

For what felt like forever, she handed him something shaped like a square box wrapped with a valentine

wrapper. He took it and was thankful that his hands weren't shaking. "This is a . . chocolate," he unbelievably

muttered staring at what he was holding.

_Yeah, it's not like it's shaped like a heart like what Naoki must have gotten from her but it was still a chocolate FROM _

_her! It was from her and it was all that matters, _his thoughts shouting in his mind.

He suddenly heard her speak. "You maybe wondering why that's shaped like a box. You'd understand it more if

you open it." She sounded embarrassed and quickly looked down.

He quickly opened it though still careful not to tear anything not in place. And the figure of the chocolate was

familiar. "It's a . . . "

"Rubik's cube. You said that you like Rubik's cube, right?" she said barely above a whisper, still not looking at

him. He looked at her unbelievably and she looked more beautiful than ever wandering her eyes trying to avoid

his. _Baka, doesn't she know she's actually trying to give me false hopes right now!_

He smiled. "This is the best chocolate I've received." She quickly glanced at him then smiled. _How more beautiful _

_can she get? _

"I just want to tell you something," she suddenly spoke and she looked uneasy as she intertwined her fingers

then drop them then intertwine them again.

"What?"

He was surprised to see her annoyed expression back again. "Tamaki Suoh! I have to tell you something!" she

was like yelling the words at him now but he sensed that she sounded nervous.

"Why are you suddenly shouting? Baka!"

"I said, I have to tell you something and I'm only gonna say this once!"

He was starting to get amused seeing her serious expression and hearing her shaking voice. But he didn't dare

laugh when she cast him a threatening glare. "Okay, okay. Tell me."

She breathed deeply before starting. "I want to tell you that . . .that . . I . . argh!" she suddenly shook her

head and looked frustrated. "I can't say it," he heard her whisper.

"If you can't say it then don't force yourself, okay. You're making me worried seeing you like that." She instantly

looked at him when he said that.

"You really like me that much?" she sounded unbelieving. He just smiled. After that, she suddenly composed

herself again and sighed deeply. She was looking at him intently which made his hands sweaty.

"Tamaki Suoh. I like you."

He had never been more surprised all his life but that time. He could only stare at her unable to quickly grasp

what she said. "What did you just say?!"

She rolled her eyes. "I told you I'm only gonna say it once."

He knew he heard it right. _SHE LIKES ME? SHE FREAKIN' LIKES ME?!_

"I'm done here. I'm going home now," he suddenly heard her say and he could see her blushing as she turned

around to walk away.

He had no idea what made him do it but the next thing he knew, he was already walking side by side with

Haruhi with his hands intertwined with hers. She looked extremely surprised and was all red-faced. "What are

you doing BAKA?!"

He grinned and looked at her scandalized face. "Why? You don't like it?"

She stared at him, looking confused on whether what to answer. "I . . . don't know."

He laughed. "Then I won't let go until you find out if you like it or not."

He continued staring at her, still not believing that the girl that's constantly bugging his mind, the geek whom

he thought was impossible to like him was walking with him holding hands. "Stop staring, okay."

He smiled. "I can't keep my eyes off of you."

She suddenly grinned. "So cheesy."

He suddenly stopped and let her face him. "Haruhi, I love you."

She looked at him. "I love . . you too," she said it so fast which amused him. "You're blushing," he quickly

teased her as they continued to walk.

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm not blushing!!"

"It's obvious. You are."

"I'm not!!"

"Haruhi Fujioka is blushing!!"

"TAMAKI SUOH!!! BAKAAAAAAA!!!!!"

-end-


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